Warrior Cats:The Legend of the Five Clans:Book1
by Snowstar417
Summary: Bluetail, Bluestar's younger brother has left Thunderclan to be with his true love. But when terror strikes, Bluetail must find a way to carry on. That's when he remembers, his mate wasn't exactly ordinary...Will his kits be extraordinary as well?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, but am a super fan! Some of the characters are mine. If you've read Warriors, you'll be able to tell which ones are mine, and which ones belong to Erin Hunter. **

**Oh yeah, let me explain the whole chapter thing. Chapters, (or sections,) belong under one head, for example all four parts to, "Bluetail's Day," are equal to a chapter. Oh, and at the end of some parts, it says, "dun dun dun, to be continued." But it doesn't say it on all of the parts. Just ignore those if they bother you, and I'm really sorry if they do. But anyway, enjoy!**

The

Legend

Of the

Five

Clans

Book 1: The beginning

By Britni Jones

**Meet the Characters**

**Cats outside Clans:**

Bluetail: Blue-gray tom with blue eyes.

Snowy: Gorgeous snow-white she-cat with beautiful ice-blue eyes.

Earthpaw: Tan tom with black and gray stripes that look like claw marks. Has dark blue eyes.

Tigerpaw: Dark tabby tom with amber eyes.

Snowkit: White she-kit with ice-blue eyes.

Blackkit: White tom with black paws, ears, and tail tip. Has dark blue eyes.

Icekit: Silver-white tabby she-kit with blue eyes.

Brokenkit: Orange tom with a black zigzag on chest. Has green eyes.

**ThunderClan: **

Leader:

Bluestar: Blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes. Bluetail's littermate.

Deputy:

Redtail: small tom with a ginger tail.

Warriors:

Whitestorm: White tom.

Lionheart: Golden tom with amber eyes.

Patchpelt: Black and white tom.

Fuzzypelt: Black tom.

Apprentices:

Mousepaw: Brown she-cat.

Runningpaw: thin tom.

Longpaw: dark tom.

Queens:

Willowpelt: gray she-cat. (Kit: Graykit: longhaired gray tabby tom.)

Apprentice: Longpaw

Robinwing: Brown she-cat with red belly. (Kits: Dustkit: brown tabby tom. Ravenkit: Black tom with white spot on chest.)

Brindleface: pale gray she-cat. (Kit: Sandkit: pale ginger she-kit with green eyes)

**RiverClan:**

Leader:

Crookedstar: Brown tabby tom.

Deputy:

Leopardfoot: golden spotted she-cat.

Warriors:

Creamfur: cream colored she-cat.

Apprentice: Silverpaw

Apprentices:

Silverpaw: silver tabby she-cat.

**Windclan:**

Leader:

Tallstar: black and white tom.

Deputy:

Mudclaw: Brown tom

Queens:

Morningflower: gray she-cat. (Kit: Rainkit: rain-colored tom with gray specks around muzzle.)

Heatherfoot: honey colored she-cat. (Kit: Moonkit: cream colored she-kit.)

Bluetail's day

Part 1

This is me

I breathe in deeply, trying to calm myself. I look down at my gray- blue paws, crunching on dead and dried leaves. I'm trying to stay as calm as I can here. You see, I live in a clearing in the middle of the forest with my two sons, Earthpaw, Tigerpaw and my mate Snowy. The thing is, she's expecting kits any day now!

What's worrying me so much is that I went out into the forest to hunt with my sons. I had asked Tigerpaw to stay with Snowy, but as always his stubbornness overthrew the little kindness he had. So now, my mate is at home, all alone, the kits coming at any moment.

Well, enough about Tigerpaw, who wants to sit around all day listening to me jabber about my awful son? Earthpaw, on the other paw, is amazing!

My gaze moved to Earthpaw, a tan shape in the bushes, his ears were pricked, his eyes alert. Earthpaw is the best hunter out of us all! Why? That would be because he is special. He can do things that no other cat can do. Part of it is that he can smell anything that is on, or under the ground.

A cold wind buffeted my fur; much colder than a leaf-fall wind. I guess you could consider it leaf-bare now, it's so cold, and all of the prey has disappeared; except for the prey that Earthpaw has caught.

I began to sniff around, realizing that I had just been standing there. Suddenly my nose caught a mouth-watering scent. Squirrel. I follow the scent to a tree, thinking that there probably was a nest of them. I looked up the trunk, and tried to determine where the nest was. I bunched my muscles, and jumped. I extended my claws just in time to stay up in the tree. Clawing my way up, the scent got stronger with every step.

"Almost…. There. I've…. Got…. You…. Now…," I grunted, gritting my teeth. I took one step at a time, getting closer, and closer, and closer. I reached my paw inside. I could feel the soft fur, taste the juiciness, and see the happy look on Snowy's face when I brought her a fresh squirrel.

Suddenly there was a huge yowl. I chorused in with it in surprise, and too late I noticed that my claws were giving way. I fell from the trunk, my paws flailing hopelessly. I felt a huge throbbing pain in my back, I was sure I was dead. When I opened my eyes, Starclan warriors would be standing there.

I opened my eyes, waiting for my doom, only to realize that I was perfectly fine. I scrambled to my paws, looking around to see who had yowled. Then I saw it. A little ways away Earthpaw was facing a yellow tom.

"Wow, Earthkit, you sure aren't a kit anymore," I heard the tom meow. I charged up to the tom; no one, and I mean no one messes with my son! I ran until I was almost nose to nose with him, pushing past Earthpaw in defense.

"Who are you,and what are you doing with my son?" I demanded angrily.

"We were just talking," the tom meowed, confused at my anger.

"It's okay dad, we already know each other," Earthpaw insisted, walking closer. His face was clearly saying "_It's okay."_ I nodded, but I still wasn't quite so sure.

"Then where did you meet him?"I asked Earthpaw. I was sure that Earthpaw had never even smelled the likes of this cat.

"Well, you remember that day when Tigerpaw and I were still kits, and we snuck out into the forest?" Earthpaw asked.

"Yes," I replied, remembering the day fully.

"That's when we met," Earthpaw meowed.

"So that's why you didn't get eaten up by Scratch in the first five seconds."

"Yep, I saved them," the tom replied. Suddenly remembering him, I asked him the most important question.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Acid," he replied.

"Well, Acid," I meowed, "I'm very sorry to interrupt you and Earthpaw, but we need to be getting home now."

"Oh, it's alright, I completely understand," Acid meowed "I need to go too. I've gotta find something to eat."

"Let's go, Earthpaw," I meowed. I turned on the spot, giving the toms time to say their farewells. A few moments later, Earthpaw joined me. "Come on Tigerpaw."

Tigerpaw popped his head out of a fallen hallow log.

"Look what I caught!" He exclaimed.

"Great," I meowed, not even looking at Tigerpaw. We walked in silence for a while, the only sound being the crackle of the leave under-paw.

Of course, I began to daydream, as I always do. _I know there will be a kit just like me. Oh! He'll be a lot of trouble. _

Yes, I used to be a big day dreamer, or still am. Yes siree I could see it now, that kit would be the trouble maker of the litter. I'd be sure to keep an eye on that kit.

"No way! Mine is _way_ bigger!" Tigerpaw shouted. Tigerpaw's loudness brought me back into the present.

"What are you talking about? Mine is _so_ big, it makes yours look like a mouse," Earthpaw meowed.

"Okay, okay, yours might be bigger, but mom will actually eat _mine," _Tigerpaw meowed.

"No, she won't! How could anyone get past those feathers?" Earthpaw asked.

"I know, we're asking dad, he'll know whose prey is better," Tigerpaw meowed "Dad? Whose catch is better? Mine or Earthpaw's?"

I sighed. "You're mother will like both of your catches." I walked ahead, leaving my sons behind. I didn't care if they followed or not; I had a queen to feed.

When I did get home, Tigerpaw and Earthpaw emerged just after me. "I'm giving my prey to mom," Tigerpaw taunted as he ran to the den.

"Not if I can help it!" Earthpaw called chasing after his brother. A few seconds later, I heard them gasp.

"D-d-d-dad, I t-think y-you s-should s-see t-this," Tigerpaw meowed, sounding really scared. He stepped away from the den, and sprinted to his own, blubbering like a lost kit.

I walked up to the den entrance, feeling confused. What on earth could be wrong? Earthpaw cleared a space for me, looking solemn. He was not smiling.

I stepped closer in confusion, and then peered into the den. Snowy was lying there, but no, she was not feeding a lovely new born litter of kits, and there was no Bluetail Jr. Snowy was lying there, her body stiff, and already turning cold, just like the color of her eyes.

Ice blue. I remembered her eyes, and how they used to sparkle, how they used to captivate me so much.

But now, I would never see her eyes again. I would never speak to her again; she was dead.

To be continued….

Bluetail's Day

Part 2

Missing

I stared down blankly at my mother. She wasn't moving, or even breathing for that matter. She was dead, and had died before I had even gotten to meet my brothers and sisters.

I watched as my father stared at my mother's closed eyes. I could see so many emotions in his eyes, and I remembered the one time when my mother had told me about eyes. I closed my eyes, remembering.

"_Then, I looked down on the ground, and there was a tom there. He looked up at me, and his deep blue eyes met mine. That moment was magical. I swear that Starclan made that moment special for us," Snowy said. _

"_But why when you met eyes?" I asked._

_Snowy looked perplexed at this question, "Well, because eyes are what make the connection, Earthkit. They're what tell us what's happening; they can tell us anything." _

"_Wow," I said, "So they're like a secret language?" _

"_In a way," Snowy laughed her light sparkling laugh. _

Snowy's laugh echoed in my mind as I opened my eyes. My gaze moved over to Bluetail. He was still staring at Snowy, unmoving. I could tell that he was trying as hard as he could not to break down in front of me. Feeling too sad to look at Bluetail any longer, I moved my eyes to Snowy.

I stepped a few paces closer, and from the corner of my eye, I could see Bluetail stiffen. I sat down at the entrance to the den, staring at Snowy. My gaze moved from her soft, snow-white fur, to her closed eyes, her front paws, and finally, her belly.

I almost jumped back in surprise.

Lying there next to Snowy, almost invisible next to her, were four tiny kits. I stepped a little closer, this time ignoring the fact if Bluetail stiffened or not. I crawled closer to them, and was able to sniff the closest one.

It was a tiny orange tom, lying on his stomach, eyes shut tightly. He wiggled around, searching for a source of food. I pushed my nose into his light fur. I could feel his heart beating. _He's healthy. _

After finding the other four and checking all of them, I turn to Bluetail.

"Dad?" I asked. He looked at me quickly, "Snow-well, Mom…she had kits."

"Kits?" He asked himself, his voice sounded hoarse. He looked around "Where? Are they alright?" He suddenly seemed like himself.

I nodded, "Yes, but they're hungry. They're in the den." I moved out of the way to show him.

Bluetail's gaze moved to the den, and he cringed when he was reminded of Snowy's death. He stared at the kits for so long; I thought that he was frozen.

"Bluetail?" I asked. He turned to once again, "What are we going to do?"

"You said that they were hungry? We're going to feed them," Bluetail replied, and then muttered, "Anything to keep Snowy alive…"

"Kits?" I saw Tigerpaw appear from our den across the hollow, "Mom had kits?" He padded a little closer, "If they're hungry that's too bad; there aren't any queens around here. That is, unless you want to go scrounging around Twolegplace for one!" He laughed at his own lame joke. Bluetail and I just stared at him.

"That's it!" Bluetail exclaimed, "Twolegplace! I'll go to Twolegplace!" He turned to us, "You two will stay here with them and make sure that they're safe. Keep the warm; leaf-bare is extremely dangerous for kits. I'll be back when I find a queen."

"B-b-b, warriors don't stay with kits!" Tigerpaw exclaimed. I could instantly see more than one reason why Tigerpaw was trying to back his way out of this situation.

Reason number one: His lifelong dream to become the best Thunderclan (my dad's old home, which is a group of cats) warrior ever. In his mind a warrior never has to protect kits, clean up, or even care about anything. A warrior does whatever he wants _when_ever he wants. Thing this is,a real warrior is the exact opposite of that. A real warrior protects the kits all the time, cleans up whenever's there's a mess, and cares about the whole clan.

Reason number two: He was scared of something.

How I know this? I have…well abilities, you could call them. I'm able to lift rocks, and control things in the ground. I can hear prey moving on the ground much better than a normal cat. I can spray dirt (earth.) from my paws, and even fly because of that. I have great flexibility, and athletic skills.

It does sound cool, but it can be hard too. For one thing, I have to keep it a secret from Tigerpaw. Bluetail and Snowy know about it, but for some reason Bluetail didn't want me to tell Tigerpaw. I believe this is because Tigerpaw would be jealous. When he gets jealous, things could get out of paw.

The whole reason I have powers is because of my mom. She once told me that her ancestors came from the mountains. She said that they live in some tribe or something. Anyway, her grandmother was captured by twolegs, and then her mother was born. That's why she was born a kittypet. So that's where the powers came from. The tribe is the reason Snowy had powers, and therefore, me.

"Tigerpaw I'm counting on you, if you don't stay it will be too late!"Bluetail was saying to a blubbering Tigerpaw.

"B-b-but what if whatever killed mom, comes and gets us? We don't know whose next!" My mouse-brained brother exclaimed.

"You mouse-brain!" Bluetail exclaimed "She wasn't killed! She lost too much blood giving birth, because _SOMEONE_ wasn't there!" He made it obvious that "someone" meant Tigerpaw. Tigerpaw shrank back guiltily, and looked at Bluetail with pleading eyes.

"Well I didn't mean-"Tigerpaw stopped mid-sentence; he knew it was useless; he was defenseless with nothing to say. "I-I-I'm sorry."

For a moment, I saw pure shock in my father's eyes. That was the first time that Tigerpaw had ever apologized. It was not until up to this moment that I realized that my mouth was gaping. I closed it, and hoped that no one had seen. That one moment had passed, and my father's eyes were angry again.

"Well, 'sorry' doesn't bring Snowy back, now does it?"

"No," My brother meowed quietly, hanging his head.

"Well then I suggest that you go and stay with those kits. Unless you want there to be five deaths," Bluetail meowed sternly.

"Okay," Tigerpaw meowed, walking into the den. He walked slowly, his tail hanging low. I followed him, not having anything to say.

I settled down in my parent's den next to my new siblings, and dead mother. I looked at them for a moment, and then looked back up and watched my father disappear into the bushes.

I looked back down at the kits; two toms and two she-cats. They were perfect. One little orange was tom wriggling his small paws in the air, searching for milk. The other tom, a white one with black paws tail-tip and ears was fast asleep next to his brother. Another she-cat that was white with silver tabby markings. She was flicking her stick-like tail as she tried to stand. I knew that she was much too young to stand yet, but I was glad at her determination. My gaze moved to the last kit. She was also a white she-cat. She was lying closest to my mother's body, and she was almost invisible against their matching fur. I peered closer to her, and like she knew I was looking at her, her eyes opened.

At first I was purely shocked; kits shouldn't be able to open their eyes at this stage! Then it wore away to realization. Her eyes were the _exact _same color as Snowy's.

Bluetail's Day

Part 3

Getting help

I kept running. Nothing was going to stop me from saving those kits. I had to get to Twolegplace, and fast. The only problem was that I hadn't actually _been _to this Twolegplace. I had only heard of it. I was just going to have to rely on my wits on this one. I could only hope that there actually _was _a Twolegplace nearby.

Finally, my luck turned up. I could smell the distant smell of Twolegplace. I slowed my pace a little, sensing that the end was near. Soon, I recognized the familiar brown planks that formed the fence around Twoleg gardens. I walked up to it, and looked up.

_Should I climb here? What are the odds that there's a queen here? I guess it's a good place to start. _

I pushed my claws into the thin wood. _Piece of prey _I thought. I pulled upward, determined to make it.

You see, I have a bad history with climbing things. There was an incident when I was a kit. I was scared when I was trying to climb something, and I've never been the same since. I can't climb something without this dramatic scene playing through my mind. Just thinking about it makes me shudder.

_For the kits…for Snowy!_

Feeling as if I had barely moved at all, I noticed that I had almost made it to the top. I smiled at my accomplishment, only to remember how small it was.

"Ha!" Suddenly a small furry head appeared over the top of the fence, startling me like crazy.

I screeched and felt my claws give way. I fell to the icy ground, knowing that this time for sure I was dead. I was gone. Earthpaw and the kits would die without me. I'd never come, and they'd be stuck there all alone, and die!

This thought made me open my eyes. I stood up.

"NO! Earthpaw!" I shouted, "NO! He's going to die!"

"Um, mister, are you okay?" I jumped and then found the source of the voice. It was the kit who had startled me.

"Oh…um, yes, perfectly fine," I informed her.

"Okay," She said, and then her worried expression turned to one of triumph, "Ha! I _knew _someone was climbing our fence! Wait till I tell Rusty and Tiny! That'll show 'em!"

"Excuse me, do you live here?" I asked, interrupting the kit's conversation with herself.

Her chocolate brown gaze moved to mine, "Yep," the tiny she-cat replied.

"Do you live with your mother?" I asked. Knowing Twolegs, I knew that they gave away a queen's kittens when they got to a certain age.

"Yes, but why'd you ask?" the she-cat asked, perplexed. "Don't you have Housefolk of your own?"

Ah, the common word that Kittypets use for Twolegs. But anyway, I had to think this over. I could tell her the truth: I was no Kittypet, didn't have any Housefolk, and therefore was a wild cat. That would lead to her being completely terrified of me. My other option would be to tell her that I was a Kittypet, and was lost. I didn't like that idea. I'm very good at lying, and I don't think I could make a very convincing Kittypet, even to a kit.

"Well," I replied, thinking quickly "never mind that. I need your mother to feed my kits."

"Oh, okay, I'll go and get her," the tiny she-cat meowed. Of course she would be willing to help; she was a kit, and hardly knew what danger was. I shook my head as I heard her claws slowly scraping down the fence. Then, I heard the patter of paws on the soft moss-like grass inside the garden.

Soon, I could hear more cats coming across the garden. They paused, and a clear, smooth, soft voice called over.

"Come on over the fence. I'd like to talk to you," It said.

I looked up at the fence as it loomed over me. I started to shake, but stopped myself. There was no way that I'd be scared of the cats on the other side of the fence. I'd just have to be scared of the fence itself.

After a few attempts of trying to climb the fence, I finally got over. I jumped down. The soft, spongy grass felt good on my tired paws.

_It's some deal these Kittypets have. Everything here is so…serene._

I looked at the she-cat cat in front of me. She was a beautiful brown tabby. By beautiful, I mean… well… Just dazzling! She sat in _front_ of me, her slender body so perfect. Her green eyes were filled with an emotion I could not tell.

I had to tell myself repeatedly that I was on a mission. Then I remembered my Snowy, and suddenly this she-cat in front of me seemed dull.

"Hello," She meowed, her eyes squinting, I could tell she was a little hesitant, "my daughter says that you need our help." At the mention of her daughter, she wrapped her tail around her kit, protecting her.

"Y-yes," I meowed, though I could barely get it out. I shook my head to clear it. _Concentrate, Bluetail_ I thought, _kits…Snowy…_ The she-cat looked confused for a moment.

"You don't?" she asked "then what are you here for, to steal our food? To hurt my kits?" She was going overboard here. Kittypets are _too _protective.

"I do need help," I corrected ,"My kits need milk. And I'm not going to hurt you."

"Alright," she-cat relaxed a little, but still protected the young kit. "I could feed them, but I don't want my kits to get fleas."

"Trust me," I said, "my kits don't have fleas."

"I don't know," she said, still a little hesitant, "My Housefolk might not like it. Extra mouths to feed…"

"As soon as they're old enough to eat fresh-kill, they'll leave. I'll take them with me; you'll never have to see them again," I tried to convince her, "Your Two-uh-Housefolk won't even notice."

"Well..maybe," She said.

I was about to give up. _Why are Kittypets so….hesitant? Is there something wrong with you? _I couldn't think of anything else to convince her. Suddenly, the last thing I would ever have said to her slid off of the tongue, "Thank you so much."

The she-cat's wary gaze suddenly turned warm as she smiled.

"You're welcome," She replied, "Alright, just bring your kits here. I'll feed and take care of them for as long as you need. When you come back, just call for Star."

For a moment I just sat there. I was so shocked at what, 'thank you,' had done for me. _Wow, I gotta' use that one more often._

"Um, are you okay?" Star asked.

"Oh!" I jumped up, "Um, I'll be right back," I turned to go. Then I remembered one important thing, "My name's Bluetail," I added.

"Alright, Bluetail, I'll see you soon, then" Star meowed, who seemed in a much better mood. She herded her daughter back inside the Twoleg nest. As she did, I heard her call.

"Oh, Bluetail? How many kits are there?" She asked.

"Four," I replied, smiling.

I raced back to my home, my paws feeling like wings. I felt like I could go anywhere. My kits would be safe! I my smile broadened;_ I _was a father! Okay, okay, maybe it was for the second time, but it was still magical. I had more children! For some reason my happy thought couldn't be destroyed by Snowy's death at the moment.

Suddenly I stopped. Snowy. Snowy had powers. Earthpaw has powers. Earthpaw is Snowy's son. These _kits _are Snowy's children. What if _they _have powers?

To be continued…..

Bluetail's Day

Part 4

A new home

I opened my eyes sleepily.

_I must have dozed off. Oh no! The kits! _

I sat up frantically, only to realize that Tigerpaw was still awake, and the four kits were curled up together, sleeping. I relaxed and sighed in relief. I laid back down, and noticed that Tigerpaw's eyes were fixed intently upon the bushes_. _

_Could he be feeling the pride of a true clan warrior_? _Nah. No way; that's impossible. But then again…it's not like Tigerpaw's hopeless. He _can _fight and hunt. He's just a little jealous sometimes, and can't always see other cats' points. _

Then, I saw the bushes rustle.

_Ah so _that's _why he was watching the bushes…he could tell something was coming. _

I saw the rainy, cloud colored fur that was hidden inside the prickly brambles. Soon I saw the familiar face of my father. He looked out of breath, but his eyes shone with excitement. As he tore through the bushes, a leaf-bare gust of wind ruffled my fur. I looked up to see small flurries dancing down the wind, and onto the ground. I heard a faint squeak from a kit, and looked to see the white she-cat looking at the sky, and the snow.

_She likes it. _I smiled.

"I found a queen!"Bluetail exclaimed, who was now closer to us. His blue-gray pelt was now sparkling with snowflakes.

"That's great!" I replied.

Bluetail then explained everything to us; where we were to go, and what we were to do.

"Let's go!"I picked up the tiny orange tom in my jaws. I held him carefully, knowing how fragile kits can be. I gestured gently for Tigerpaw to pick up the other tom.

At first he looked hesitant to pick him up, but he did eventually bend down and pick the kit up. I was surprised at how gentle he was towards the small bundle of fur.

_I guess he has a soft spot for kits. _

"Before we go, I want to warn you, be very careful out there; it's snowing," Bluetail meowed. Since me and Tigerpaw was each holding a kit, we could only nod our heads slowly. "Good." Then, Bluetail stretched his neck down slowly, and picked up the two she-cats. We were ready to go.

_Finally _I thought as the brown planks of the fence came into focus. It felt like we've been walking for moons. My whiskers were frozen solid. Tigerpaw had slipped twice on the way; we were lucky that he had held the kit he was carrying high up so that it was safe.

"This is the place," Bluetail meowed, "Can you two climb and hold the kits at the same time?"

"Of course we can," Tigerpaw meowed through gritted teeth, though it sounded more like, "fuf' nourse ne nan." I tried to stop myself from laughing, and made my way over to the fence. I jumped up and started to climb.

When I was about halfway up, Bluetail came up after me. I kept climbing, when I got to the top, I sat there, waiting for the others. When Bluetail was about halfway up, Tigerpaw began his climb.

I was surprised at how normally he climbed. Usually he has to play some joke on Bluetail of me.

Then suddenly Tigerpaw pressed his belly closer to the fence and slithered much like a snake. Behind the kit's fur, I saw a huge smirk slide onto Tigerpaw's face. I wanted to call out in warning, but I would drop the kit. I could only sit there and watch the deed about to be done.

Tigerpaw reached up his paw, claws fully unsheathed, and whapped it directly onto Bluetail's tail.

Bluetail let out a cry of pain, holding his head back. I looked up at the sky, not believing Tigerpaw.

Then I noticed that there were two giant snowflakes falling from the sky. My eyes widened in fear; they weren't snowflakes; they were _kits!_

My instincts reacted before I even knew that they were. I jumped into the air, hoping that I could catch my two sisters Through the thickening snow, everything was a blur, but that wasn't about to stop me. Then I felt the soft pelt of a kit on my chin, and careful not to drop the tom, grabbed the she-kits in my jaws. I quickly dropped to the ground, and turned around to face the fence.

In front of me Tigerpaw still clung onto the fence, his face was turned towards me, his mouth gaping. Somehow the kit was still clinging onto Tigerpaw.

Bluetail was lying on the ground, staring at me wide-eyed.

"H-how did you do that?" he managed to ask, though he knew the answer. I didn't reply, because I didn't know what to say, and my mouth was full with kits. I sort of shrugged; I was itching to get on with it. I came to the fence, climbed over the tip, and jumped onto the ground.

_Wow that time was _a lot _quicker than the first. _

I shivered; the grass was so spongy, it was like nothing that I had felt before. Soon, Tigerpaw and Bluetail came over the top of the fence. Bluetail looked like he had recovered from the epidemic, but Tigerpaw still looked a little bewildered.

I pricked my ears; I thought I had heard something.

"St-?" my father meowed, but was cut off by a sharp, high-pitched shriek.

A tiny orange tom sprang from the bushes. His fur was pushed up in different ways, like he had slept on it and hadn't allowed his mother to groom it back. "Get out! This is my garden!" He puffed himself out as if he were in a real battle.

My father padded over to me, a little confused at our welcoming party.

"Dad, are you sure this is the right place?" Tigerpaw moaned.

Bluetail didn't have time to answer; out of the bushes, stepped another orange tom-kit. Instead of bright green eyes, this kit had blue eyes, and unlike his brother, was very small.

_That must be the runt. _

"Rusty, what are you doing?" he asked the bigger tom. Rusty didn't turn to the other kit when he replied.

"Defending our garden."

Then, I saw streak of tabby fur near the entrance to the Twoleg nest. There was a flash of brown, and there in front of me was a beautiful brown she-cat. She ran towards the Rusty, and picked him up by the scruff. She sat him down next to her and began to lick him vigorously.

"You are a very naughty kit," She scolded in between licks. Then, she seemed to notice we were there. "Oh! I'm so very sorry about Rusty, he can very energetic at some times." Then she turned her head to the other kit.

"Tiny, can you please go back inside? Rusty and I will just be a moment," The she-cat mewed lightly.

"But, mom, who're these weird cat?" the small orange kit asked with his wide blue eyes.

"Tiny!" the she-cat said a little more forced, "Back inside!" The kit instantly sped back inside the Twoleg nest.

"That's alright," Bluetail meowed, " You're going to save my kits. It's no problem to meet yours." Bluetail side-glanced at me, "Oh yes, these are my two sons Tigerpaw and Earthpaw."

"Those are _weird _names" Rusty meowed. Looking at me with a strange, puzzled glance as his leaf colored eyes shone with interest.

"Rusty," His mother scolded him yet again "Don't you be rude; or you'll have to go inside." The tiny orange kit shut his jaws instantly. Then the she-cat turned back to me, Tigerpaw, and Bluetail.

" Thank you, Bluetail," She said, and then said, "It's very nice to meet you two. My name is Star. And as Bluetail has probably told you, I'm going to help by feeding your brothers and sisters. " Then, suddenly she stood up and exclaimed "What are we doing out here in the snow? Let's go inside." She turned on the spot and led us inside the nest through a weird flap thing.

When my front right paw hit the ground on the other side of the flap, I froze. The ground was smooth, bright orange, and had squares all around the floor. The squares were like nothing I had seen before. It felt like ice, only it was the wrong color. I blinked in confusion, only to be bumped by Tigerpaw from behind.

"Nurry up!" Tigerpaw said through the soft fur pelt of the kit he was holding. I squeezed through the flap, and started to follow Star and Bluetail who were in front of me. I was walking across the tiles, when my paw bumped into something. I looked at my paw, and next to it was a dark brown post. When I sniffed it, I recognized it as wood.

_What would Twolegs do with wood? _

Three other posts stood next to it, which formed the corners of a square. On top of the posts, lay a flat surface. On top of that surface stood another surface.

_Do they sit in them? It seems the right size…_

Five more of these things stood around a huge flat surface which was supported by four tall posts. I could see the fluffy tops of flowers on top of the flat surface.

"It's called a table," Star explained, turning around. I guess she had seen me staring at it. I padded over to where she was waiting with my father. Star plopped down on top of a fluffy pink thing.

I could visibly see Star relax when she lay down on the squishy thing.

_Is this where she sleeps? _ On the front of the fluffy thing were some weird engravings. Maybe it was some weird Twoleg writing.

"You can set them down, Earthpaw," Star meowed, looking up at me.

"Oh," I said, realizing that I had been lost in thought. I gently placed the kits in front of Star. I stepped back to let Tigerpaw set down the kit he was holding.

The kits squirmed in confusion for a moment, then followed the scent of milk, and began to suckle.

All except one.

The white she-kit lay in her back, and refused to eat. She sat shivering instead.

Rusty watched excitingly, happy to watch the tiny kits eat. Then he noticed the last kit.

"Why won't she eat?" He asked.

"I don't know," Star meowed, yawning.

"She needs to eat!" Rusty exclaimed, and he looked very concerned for the tiny white bundle.

"She'll be fine," Rusty's mother assured him, "she'll eat when she's gets hungry enough."

"No, she won't! She's hungry now!" Rusty ran around the room, throwing some kind of fit. He lashed his tail, batted his paws, and hissed in frustration.

"Rusty!" the kit called Tiny mewed, "What's wrong?" Rusty ignored his brother. Then, he got a look on his face, as if he had gotten an idea. He walked slowly up to the she-kit, craned his neck low, and gently touched his nose to hers.

The reaction was instant. The tiny she-kit's eyes opened. Those blue pools shone with curiosity. I looked at Bluetail, and when he saw those eyes, I could see tears verging across his eyes.

"Please eat," Rusty pleaded. I didn't' hear him say it, all I saw were his lips moving.

The she-kit stared at him for a moment, and then crawled over and suckled so softly she might not have even been there at all.

Suddenly something sparked inside my stomach. When Rusty touched noses with the white she-kit, suddenly something dazzled me. I had a feeling that my new sister and Rusty had some connection.

To be continued…..


	2. Chapter 2

Graykit's Adventures

Part 1

The plan

Not too far from where Bluetail and his kits live, is a clan called Thunderclan. In a clan, there are different ranks such as Leader, Deputy, Medicine cat, Warrior, Apprentice, Elder, Queen, or Kit.

The leader of Thunderclan is Bluestar. Bluestar is a blue-gray she-cat, and the sister of Bluetail. The leader leads the clan by conducting warrior and apprentice ceremonies, choosing the most important decisions such as choosing whether to go to battle or not. Leaders also go to gatherings and announce important things that have happened in the clan.

The Deputy of Thunderclan is Redtail. Redtail is a small tom with a red tail. The Deputy organizes hunting and border patrols, and will be the next clan leader.

The medicine cat is Spottedleaf. Spottedleaf is a tortoiseshell cat. The medicine cat heals cats that are injured. They also can communicate with Starclan who are the clan's warrior ancestors. Medicine cats are not allowed to have kits, though.

Warriors protect, and hunt for the clans. Without the warriors, there would be no clan. Warriors always have at least one apprentice in their lifetime.

Apprentices have to be at least six moons old. They are in training to be either a warrior or a medicine cat, but a medicine cat can only have one apprentice.

Elders are retired warriors. They are given great honor, because they used to hunt and protect the clan. Part of the apprentice's job is to fetch prey for the elders; they also clean out their den.

The queens take care of their kits. They stay in the nursery with their kits until they are six moons old, and become apprentices. When their kits become apprentices the queens become warriors again.

Kits are the youngest and most prized members of the clans, because they are the future of the clan. They usually play around the nursery, but some kits get a little too curious and go and play in the middle of the camp, and sometimes even get into the forest!

Our story starts in the middle of the nursery, in the middle of the Thunderclan camp. At this time in Thunderclan, there are four kits, Ravenkit; a black tom with a white spot on his chest, Dustkit; a brown tabby tom, and Ravenkit's brother, Sandkit; a pale yellow she-kit with pale green eyes, and Graykit; a longhaired gray tom with yellow eyes. This is one of his adventures.

… … … … … … … … … … … …

I called out in a war call. I was flying through the air.

_Coming in for a landing!_

My heart was racing, my whiskers quivering with excitement. I reached my paws out, and they landed squarely on top of Patchpelt. For a moment, he swayed, then he regained his balance.

"Whoa," Patchpelt meowed unsteadily.

"Ha!" I meowed in triumph, which was a big mistake.

In my moment of triumph, Patchpelt took that moment to get me. All of a sudden, Patchpelt rolled over, and flipped up again. I was on my back, and before I could move, Patchpelt had put his giant paw on my stomach.

I squirmed and wailed "Hey! That's not fair! Get off of me!" Patchpelt just chuckled.

"Shhhhh!" An annoyed meow said. I looked over to see Brindleface,her gray tabby marking glistening in the bright morning light. "You two will wake Sandkit!"

Sandkit is another kit. She thinks that she's the best thing in the world, but me, well…I have other thoughts about her.

Patchpelt quietly lifted his paw off of me, smiling at me.

"Great match, son," he said as I stood up. He touched noses with me, "I've got to find your mother now"

Willowpelt is my mother. Patchpelt says that he loves her. I think that's the grossest thing in the world. Who likes she-cats? Who even _needs _she-cats? As I was thinking about this, I noticed two shapes moving in the corner of the den. I padded over to see what was going on.

"Hey! Stop! That hurts!" a voice yelped.

"Well, maybe if you'd learn to fight the _right _way, then you wouldn't get hurt!" Another voice cried back. Then, the shapes moved into the light. It was my friend, Ravenkit, and his brother Dustkit.

"He-hey! That's my whisker! No! You'll pull it out!" Ravenkit was throwing a huge fit. What Dustkit was doing, I had no idea; it was too dark in the back of the den to see. "Hey! Are you listening? Dustkit! Hey! OWWWWW!" At Ravenkit's shriek the two toms broke apart. "You- pulled- my- whisker- out-!" Ravenkit shrieked. He licked his paw, and dabbed the place where his whisker used to be gingerly.

"You're such a kittypet!" Dustkit shouted.

"Well you keep acting like a warrior, which you're not! You're just a kit!" Ravenkit shot back.

"Well you're a kit too!" Dustkit meowed, his face was angry.

"Well, you know, at least I don't try to act like I know _everything_," Ravenkit meowed back.

"Well, you're not so bright either!" Dustkit shouted. I couldn't take it anymore. I hated to watch them fight so I got in between them.

Dustkit and Ravenkit are always fighting. They may be brothers, but they have completely different natures. Dustkit always like to pretend to be a warrior, and also a bully. But Ravenkit tends to like to sit back and watch things. He's very timid, and sometimes shy.

"Hey! Cut it out! Both of you!" I meowed, stepping in between the two toms. "You guys are brothers, remember? Pull yourselves together!"

Ravenkit and Dustkit looked surprised to see me. They had been so into the fight that they hadn't noticed that I was standing there.

"Oh. Okay," Ravenkit mewed quietly, and he looked at his paws.

"Fine," Dustkit meowed. His reply was a little more forced, but he didn't actually mean to sound tough.

"Thanks guys. Do you want to do something?"I asked.

"Okay!" Ravenkit and Dustkit's reply were synced. Their eyes were both wide with excitement. Then Dustkit seemed to realize something.

"Wait!" He exclaimed "We can't do anything! Our parents won't let us go out of the nursery! You're so dumb!" At that, he turned and padded back into the darkness.

"Oh, I hate it when he's right!" Ravenkit exclaimed "We can't do _anything _or go _anywhere_! And if we were to sneak out, we couldn't because our parents are coming back right this second!"

"Oh come on!" I meowed "I'm not mouse-brained! I have a plan!"

"You do?" Ravenkit asked "What is it?"

"You'll see," I meowed.

_Oops._

I had forgotten one detail; I _didn't _have a plan.

_Oh well…time to wing it. _

I walked back over to my mother's nest, making things up as I went. After smoothing down my fur to make it looked like I was _really _asleep, I was able to barely open my eyes into slits.

Willowpelt, Patchpelt, Redtail (Sandkit's dad), Robinwing, and Fuzzypelt (Ravenkit and Dustkit's parents) stepped into the den. For a moment, they talked about some new gossip they had heard about in the camp.

"Can you believe it?" Robinwing asked. I could see pure surprise on her face.

"I know, it's amazing! Bluetail's scent has been found!" Patchpelt exclaimed.

"Wait," Redtail meowed, his flanks rising faster and faster "On Thunderclan territory?"

"No," Patchpelt replied, looking a little impatient with the deputy, "don't you remember the scouting group that was sent out half a moon ago? They were sent outside the territory."

"I remember," Redtail meowed, his breathing slowing down to normal "I helped organize that patrol." He said it like it was the most important thing in the world.

I hardly knew who Bluetail was. I knew he ran away from Thunderclan a long time ago. Bluestar wanted to find him because they were littermates, so she sent out countless patrols to find him. But all of them failed, I guess. It turns out that the latest one that she sent out was successful.

Suddenly I noticed that Willowpelt was turning her gaze to me. I closed my eyes fully, just in case.

"Oh, look at Graykit! He must have worn himself out," She meowed. It was a good thing that my eyes were closed because a second later, I heard her paw-steps getting closer.

_My plan might just work_.

I dared to open my eyes just a tiny sliver so I could see what was going on. Willowpelt's eyes scanned me, then they traveled over to the moss.

"Oh! Just look at this moss! It's filthy! I'd better go and get Longpaw." Longpaw is my mother's apprentice. I don't know why she has an apprentice when she's a queen. Bluestar just thought she could handle it I guess. Maybe he was assigned to her before I was born…

Anyway, Longpaw is the most annoying cat in the whole clan. Whenever it's his turn to clean the nursery out, he always teases all of us kits. And it's not even funny teasing. He has these awful nicknames for us all.

He's all like "Hey you! I know what your warrior name will be! Dustmite!" (That's Dustkit's nickname.)

Or "Hi Ravenbrain!"

He also says "Hey Sandflower! Are you gonna be my girl?"

Sandflower actually isn't such a bad name, but it makes Sandkit really mad when someone calls her something girly. She's determined to be the toughest, which she might be. (Not that I'd ever admit that, though.) My nickname is the worst. Longpaw doesn't even use "gray" at all in it. He calls me "Smellykit." It's humiliating. I don't know why he had to choose _me _to pick on the most. There _are_ three other kits here; why does he have to choose me? It doesn't seem fair. At least the other kits don't call me Smellykit.

A few moments later I heard my mother's voice outside the den. "You'll have to wake Graykit," Willowpelt was saying.

"Okay," Longpaw's voice sounded itching to get on with it.

"Be gentle; he's just a kit. He's very fragile," Willowpelt reminded. I cringed when she said that.

_Thanks, mom. You make me seem weak in front of my biggest enemy yet. _

"Of course," Longpaw replied slyly.

_Uh oh. This can't be good in any way or form._

I could hear his paw steps coming closer. I couldn't move away with my mother still watching; then she'd know I was only pretending to sleep, and then ends Operation Kits Have Fun.

But if I stayed here, Longpaw would pummel me.

_What to do, what to do?_

I looked over at the den entrance and saw that Willowpelt had left. My thoughts brightened, only to realize that it was too late. I felt a waft of pain shoot through my side as Longpaw shot out his paw. Soon I was flying up into the air. I flipped over, with my paws flailing.

"Ahhhh!" I cried "Help!" I came flying down to the ground. I landed harshly on my side. Then I saw a tabby paw swing out and beat me back into the air "Ahh!"

"What's a' matter, Smellykit? Don't like to be a toy?" Longpaw teased. _I can't let him do this to me_.

I stretched out my paws, straitened my back, and hoped.

_Yes! _A sly smile slid onto my face.

I was going to land perfectly. My front paws touched the ground, and I landed right next to Longpaw.

"No," I answered "You just surprised me when I saw how hideous you look." I walked away, smirking, and holding my head high. I heard Longpaw snort behind me.

"Well, Smellykit, stop stinking up the nursery!" he called out to me. He began to tend to the moss.

_Ha,ha, you have to do work! _I taunted silently.

I walked over to where Ravenkit was waiting, and sat down, "Ravenkit," I whispered "Now's our chance, let's go."

"Okay!" Ravenkit replied, a little too loud. I cringed at his loudness, but then told myself silently that it was alright. I just reminded myself how happy Ravenkit looked to be going somewhere.

_His face looked like the sun itself. _

"You aren't going anywhere," there was a small snigger, "that is, you're not going anywhere without us." A pale ginger paw stepped out of the darkness. Green eyes with a scorn of laughter were highly visible in the shadows.

"Sandkit, what do you want?" I demanded.

"Me? Nothing, I just don't want little Smellykit to get hurt," Sandkit meowed.

"Yeah, well there's no one by that name here," I snorted back, "Except for maybe you. And if you meant me, and think that it's opposite day, I don't intend getting hurt. Because I have sense, and I'm not a mouse-brain, like some cats," I meowed. Sandkit's eyes bulged out of her head. After a moment, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to ask, "Tell me what you want."

"We want to come-" Sandkit began.

"Yeah, well good luck with that," I replied.

"But-"

"Go find your boyfriend, Sandflower," I meowed, stalking away.

"Wait! If you don't let us come, I'll- I'll- I'll tell Bluestar!" Sandkit called desperately across the den.

Well, I have to say, that made me stop in my tracks. I turned my head, anger billowing inside me. It made me so angry, because when I get a plan, no one, and I do mean _no one_ tries to mess it up. I walked up to that she-cat, right up in her face and I whispered:

"You are a cruel creature and will never have any friends. Sometimes I think you just need to- to-"I couldn't think of anything to say.

Sandkit just smirked.

I backed up and began to speak normally, but not before rolling my eyes.

"Okay everyone listen up!" Ravenkit, Dustkit, and Sandkit gathered around me "First rule of Operation Kits Have Fun: I am in charge. Number two: no wandering around by yourself. Rule number three: NO telling other cats about this."

"Who'd do that?" Dustkit demanded sourly. I didn't reply.

"Of course, great Graystar," Sandkit meowed exaggerating way too much. Then she straightened, and spoke normally "Who died and made you leader?"

"Oh, put a mouse in it, Sandkit," I meowed angrily, "Is everyone ready?"

"Yep," Ravenkit replied. Neither Sandkit nor Dustkit said anything, so I just assumed.

"Okay, everyone lets head out," I meowed, turning around.

_So, here we are, a bunch of kits, one always frightened, one a bully of a brother, another can't keep her mouth shut, and of course there's the kit that has it all. He can fight, he can hunt, and he has the looks._

_I just can't wait until we actually _get _there… _

Spoof Ending

"_Yeah, right." _

"_Sandkit, this is my fantasy, get out."_

"_NO!"_

"_I can't wait 'til Firepaw comes around."_

"_Who?"_

"_You'll see."_

Graykit's adventures

Part 2

Kits in the forest

Frost glittered on the ground. Icicles hung from the leaves. Everything smelled of frost. The ground was powdered with snow. An icy wind blew through the trees, and blasted me in the face.

I was lucky; I had long, fluffy, gray fur to keep me warm. Nevertheless, my nose and pads were freezing, and I didn't know how the others were doing. I looked back, to see three other kits trying to walk through the snow. Their heads were down, and their ears were flattened. Ravenkit looked as if he was becoming an icicle himself, and the others didn't look much better.

I was beginning to think if this actually was a good idea.

I lead our group to a small group of bushes that was sheltered from the wind. Once everyone was inside, I sat down and began to address everyone.

"Is everyone alright?" I asked.

"Y-yes, I think so," Ravenkit stuttered.

"I feel like an icicle," Dustkit complained. His brown tabby fur was flaked with ice.

"Yeah, I'm just _perfect,"_ Sandkit said sarcastically.

"Are you sure this was a good idea?" Ravenkit asked.

"What are you talking about? This was the most brilliant plan that I've ever came up with!" I meowed indignantly.

"Well, I guess it's better than sitting around in the nursery," Dustkit meowed "But it's so cold! By time we get back, we'll be icicles!"

"Maybe instead of complaining we should come up with a plan," Sandkit meowed, and I realized that she was actually on _my _side for once.

"What kind of plan?"Ravenkit asked.

"Well, I mean we should decide where we want to go and what we want to see," Sandkit meowed. I nodded.

_What am I _doing? _Am I actually _agreeing _with Sandkit? _

"I want to see the river," I meowed suddenly.

"I want to see the Thunderpath," Dustkit meowed.

_Of course; he just wants to say that to disagree with me. _

"I'd like to see that too," Sandkit meowed, using the same method as Dustkit, "Ravenkit?" I suddenly noticed that Sandkit was actually _noticing _Ravenkit for once.

_What has this world _come to?

"Well, I-"

"Go on," Sandkit encouraged.

"I'd like to see Four-"

_Oh no. He's going to say Fourtrees, and make everything complicated! Why does he have to make things so difficult? _I suddenly noticed that my expression was one of distress.

A look of realization flashed across Ravenkit's eyes, "The, uh, river too."

_Whew. Problem solved._

"Are you sure?" Sandkit asked.

"I'm sure," Ravenkit meowed, giving a quavering smile.

"Then that settles it," Sandkit mewed "The two awesome kits and the two losers together."

"Yep, c'mon, awesome kit number two," I meowed to Ravenkit. We left Sandkit behind with a gaping mouth. "Meet you two back here!" When I stepped out of the bushes, the cold was so surprising. I had forgotten how cold it was. I was almost shot back three tail-lengths! "River, here we come!" I started to walk along a path.

"Graykit, wait!" Ravenkit called. I stopped and turned back to Ravenkit.

"What is it?" I asked.

"We don't know any of the territory at all!" Ravenkit exclaimed.

Then it hit me. Ravenkit was right. We had never been out of camp before, we didn't know the territory, and it was the middle of leaf-bare. _What have I done? _ _Oh well, time to wing it…again… _

Just then, a patrol came around the corner. Whitestorm, Redtail, Darkstripe, and Mousepaw were sniffing, and talking together. I wasn't dumb; I could tell that this was at a border patrol.

_Wait! A border patrol? That means they're going to the border! We might not get to see the river, but we'll get to see another clan territory._

"Ravenkit! Hurry, get under that bush; a patrol is coming!" I meowed in a whisper.

I raced along with Ravenkit under a holly bush. The branches scratched my shoulders, and the leaves tickled my nose. As I fought back a sneeze, I watched four sets of paws walk past the bush. Well, almost. Four brown paws stopped right in front of the bush we were underneath. I could hear Mousepaw was sniffing the air.

"I smell something," She meowed.

"What is it?" Darkstripe asked turned around to ask.

"It smells like," She paused. "Like Thunderclan kits."

"In the forest?" Redtail asked, "impossible."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Mousepaw meowed. The group continued on a few paces then Mousepaw asked, "Are we going to the Riverclan border?"

"Yes," Whitestorm replied.

"Cool!" Mousepaw exclaimed. Then the group padded away. I waited a few heartbeats until they were out of earshot. Then I shot out from under the bush and I shouted.

"Woohoo! We know which way to go now!" I exclaimed. Ravenkit slowly crawled out from the bush.

"Are you sure?" He asked. He looked very unsure of this, but in times like this, you have to learn to ignore this stuff.

"Of course I'm sure!" I meowed. "Let's go!" I darted after the patrol.

I thought Ravenkit had said something, but I didn't catch it. I knew Ravenkit was following me; he'd always follow me. Why wouldn't he?

I looked back just to make sure. I just had to. As I kept running, I began to hear the sound of running water. I ran faster, by this point, not caring if Ravenkit was following or not. I burst through the rushes, and rammed straight into Mousepaw.

Mousepaw turned around, her eyes round. She began to open her mouth.

"Wait!" I whispered, "don't say anything!"

Mousepaw stayed silent.

"Look, um I'm a- a Starclan cat. Yes, I am from Starclan, and you can't tell anyone I'm here."

"Um, okay," Mousepaw whispered. Although she was silent, her eyes looked unsure, like she could tell I was lying.

"What?" I asked "I don't look like a Starclan cat?"

"Um, no, not really, you just look like normal kit," Mousepaw meowed. "Unless you died, Graykit." I said nothing.  
>"Okay, okay you caught me," I admitted after a while, "but please don't tell the others I'm here." I was pleading by now.<p>

"Okay, fine but if you get trouble for this, it's not my fault!" Mousepaw meowed.

Just then, Redtail happened to turn his head and see that Mousepaw was turned around and talking to someone.

"Mousepaw, who are you talking to?" Redtail's voice was stern. One could tell that he wanted an answer _now_.

"Um, no one. No one at all," Mousepaw meowed, then stepped away, giving me a glance that said, "_go now."_

I scampered back into the bushes as quickly and quietly as I could. I turned around and slid my paws on the crushed leaves. Out of nowhere came a huge pang of pain in my head.

Stars danced around me. My head hurt like nothing I had ever felt before. I seemed to not be able to walk, and finally I collapsed.

Birds flew across the sky; doves, thrushes, pheasants, and a raven. They flew around in a circle, the raven in the middle. I watched, mesmerized. Suddenly everything seemed to be spinning. The raven came flying down, beak pointing straight at my neck.

"NO!" I cried but my voice was drowned out by the call of the raven.

"CAW! CAW!" It landed, sqeezing my neck, choking me.

"Stop!" I choked out.

Then the raven spoke, "Are you happy now?" It asked in Ravenkit's voice "You almost got us caught! Graykit? Graykit can you hear me?"

All went black, and cold. I flailed my paws, trying to find something to hold onto to, to touch, anything real, anything that would take me away from that horrible raven.

"Graykit? Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

I opened my eyes. Everything was spinning. My head ached, trying to figure out what the blurred shapes were around me.

One shape in front of me came into focus;a black shape in front of me.

"G-get away!" I screeched "Stay back!" The black shape moved backwards sharply.

As my vision moved back to normal, I noticed the clawed feet of the raven, were really paws. I clumsily sat up, and saw the shape was Ravenkit. A look of relief came over his eyes as he noticed I was okay. But, soon for the first time in his life, anger replaced the relief.

"What were you thinking?" he demanded. "Just pounding after the patrol! You could've got us caught! Or hurt! What cat goes rushing out onto the shore? You didn't know if there could've been Riverclan warriors out there!" Ravenkit's whiskers trembled with anger, and he shook all over, as if he could barely hold his anger in.

"Well, never mind that," I meowed, "Has the patrol gone?"

"Yes," Ravenkit meowed, still angry.

"Well, then let's go to the river!" I exclaimed, and began to run into the bushes.

"Wait just a second!" Ravenkit meowed,"you wait up! That's all you do. You run from place to place and never wait for anyone, or think about what you're doing! You just run, run, run! And you're crazy! And you know what? I'm tired of it! I'm going to Fourtrees!" With that, Ravenkit was gone.

I stared for a moment, then shrugged; if he wanted to go to Fourtrees, then he could go to Fourtrees. I didn't care, not one bit. He should've just said so!

Suddenly the nearby bushes rustled. Patchpelt, Fuzzypelt, and Longpaw came out of the bushes.

_Oh my gosh! Must Thunderclan send out five _thousand_ patrols? _

I rushed back to the shore before the other cats could see the other cats here, I could really look at the place.

Smooth and shiny pebbles littered the shore. Reeds made a wall against the water. The weak sun shone down on top of Sunningrocks.

Sunningrocks is a place that has been battled over for many moons. I climbed onto the Sunningrocks; they felt warm compared to the air. My head was still throbbing a little. I almost fell down onto the rocks. I felt my body instantly curve into the folds of the warm rocks. My eyes closed in sleep.

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Hello?" I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Hello?" I opened my eyes and sat up.

Standing in front of me was a she-cat. She was lithe and silver. Her silver tabby markings looked like tiny streams. Her eyes were a beautiful blue.

_Just the color of the stream_.

"Oh, good you're okay. I thought you had been halfway to Starclan!"

"N-no I'm okay," My words choked out, and I coughed.

"Are you sure?" The silver cat asked, tilting her head.

"Yes," I answered indignantly.

"Are you an apprentice?" The she-cat asked, sounding a little scared.

"No," I admitted. For some weird reason, I didn't want to lie to this cat. She just seemed so…simple, and…just like she wouldn't dream of telling my secret.

"Well, you're certainly not a warrior," The she-cat meowed."You've snuck out of camp!"

"Well, so what if I have?" I meowed. "You don't look like an apprentice either!" The she-cats eyes widened.

"I happen to be having my apprentice ceremony tonight!" She meowed.

"Oh," I meowed, stepping back sadly. The haughty look in her eyes disappeared. She seemed to lower herself to my level.

"I'm sorry," She barely whispered , "Apprentice ceremonies aren't something to brag about."

We stood in silence for a moment.

"I'm sorry, I was being mean too. And I admit, sneaking out of camp wasn't one of my best ideas," I meowed.

The she-cat laughed a light, glittering laugh. "We all have bad ideas sometimes," she meowed. She stepped closer to me, "I'm Silverkit."

"I'm Graykit," I meowed. "You're a Riverclan cat, right?"

"Yep," Silverkit meowed proudly.

"Well, Then I'd better chase you off my territory!" I meowed with a light laugh, and stood. Silverkit pretended to look scared. I chased her around and around and around. I was just about to catch her when, suddenly a spray of silver water hit me in the face.

I opened my eyes to see Silverkit swimming in a small circle in the water. Suddenly her light blue eyes met mine.

"What? Scared to get in the water?" She teased.

"Well, maybe," I admitted.

"Don't be," Silverkit meowed, "it's actually really nice."

"Sorry, but I prefer the dry land," I meowed.

"Silverkit? Silverkit! Oh! Where is she?" I saw a yellow queen walking through the reeds.

"Uh oh," Silverkit froze in the water, "I gotta go." She slid out of the water on the other side of the bank.

"Wait!" I called. She turned around, "Meet me here tonight; we can play more."

I don't know _what _made me say it, but something just did. Maybe it was the way her eyes sparkled when I chased her or, maybe it was the sleekness of her movements when she swam.

"Okay," She replied, and smiled at me. Then she had disappeared into the reeds.

"Wow, she sure is something," I remarked, not knowing where the words had really came from. The memory of her glittering eyes and shiny pelt was burned into the back of my mind. I knew that I'd never forget them.

Then it came to my attention that I'd never met a she-cat nice enough to play with me; Sandkit was the only she-cat my age, and she was just plain annoying. With a dreamy smile, I left the shore, and slipped back into the forest.

For some reason, Sandkit, Dustkit, and Ravenkit had disappeared from my mind. I did think of them, and I did acknowledge that they were still out here in the forest, but somehow they didn't place in my mind. Instead of going to the Thunderpath, or Fourtrees, I walked back to camp, and slid into the nursery unnoticed.

To be continued…

Graykit's Adventures

Part 3

Silverpaw

The moon shone high in the sky. Water lapped on fur as more and more cats gathered around the camp. The wind blew coldly through the camp. Riverclan was lucky that their camp was surrounded with thick reeds to protect them from the wind.

Even though the clan leader, Crookedstar, still remained inside his den, the clan knew there would be a meeting soon. As more cats appeared out of their dens in to the chilly night, the whispering and gossip got louder.

"Did you hear?"

"Yes, it's so exciting!"

Then, a dark brown shape emerged from under a log. His blue eyes shone with intensity. He turned around, bunched his muscles, and jumped onto the log.

"Let all those cats old enough to swim gather here to hear my words!" He yowled into the sky. Most of the cats had already gathered, but a few cats scattered out of their dens.

… … … … … … … … … … … …

I came out of the nursery last, with Sunfish trailing after me, still trying to groom my fur as we walked.

_It's useless, Sunfish, I'm going now._

Finally she gave up, and I could walk by myself into the clearing.

"Tonight," Crookedstar's voice rang across the clearing, "we will have a new apprentice." His eyes shone with pride. It was normal for a clan leader to be proud of a new apprentice, but this was different. He had a different kind of pride, a kind of pride that was more personal. "Silverkit, please step forward."

I stepped forward slowly, trembling with excitement. My tail tip was quivering, my whiskers shaking.

"Silverkit, from this day on, until you have earned your warrior name, you shall be known as Silverpaw," Crookedstar's voice rang into the sky, and I could barely believe that tonight was my night. I was an _apprentice _now!

"Silverpaw! Silverpaw!" everyone was calling my name. I nodded my head in acknowledgment shyly, and tried to smile at all of the cheering cats.

My heart was swelling with happiness; finally I had earned my apprentice name! I knew what was coming next; I would get to see who my mentor was. As the cheers began to die down, I looked around anxiously, trying to determine who had been chosen to be my mentor. Crookedstar waited for the cheers to fade away and then spoke again.

"Creamfur, you shall mentor Silverpaw. I hope you will pass on your great skill and wisdom onto this apprentice." Creamfu's creamy colored head appeared through the crowd as she moved towards me.

I touched noses with her. I noticed that her eyes were sparkling with excitement.

_I'm her first apprentice, _I remembered. I smiled, and she smiled warmly back.

"Meeting dismissed," Crookedstar meowed. He jumped of the Highlog, and disappeared back into his den quickly. He was gone as quickly as he had appeared.

_Isn't he going to congratulate me? _I stared sadly at the entrance to Croodedstar's den. Suddenly all of tonight's excitement had drained.

"Hey, Silverpaw," It was Creamfur, "Come on; we've got to get you settled for tonight."

_Oh yeah! I get to sleep in the Apprentice's Den tonight! _

I followed Creamfur to a patch of cattails. Near the roots the stems parted to an opening. This opening was the entrance to the apprentices' den.

_Now it's my den, too. _

A flutter of excitement slithered itself through me. I shuffled my paws, not able to help myself.

_You're an apprentice now. No more of that kit stuff. _

I forced myself to stop. I looked up to see Creamfur smiling with amusement. At least she wasn't bad-tempered.

_I like her._

Then Creamfur's gaze rested on me for a moment. Her amber eyes looked proud, but a little sad.

"I know it's your first day as an apprentice, but you'll have to wait 'til tomorrow to go out of camp," Creamfur meowed.

_That's why she looked sad._

"It's okay," I meowed "I still get to sleep in the apprentice's den!"

"That's the spirit!" Creamfur meowed. She touched noses with me again, and brushed against my flank. "I'll show you your nest."

Creamfur slipped inside the den, and I followed after her. Inside, it was dark and warm. Similar to the nursery, except it didn't have the milky scent the nursery did. I suddenly felt a pang of longing for the nursery, and for Sunfish, who had nursed me as a kit. I had to remind myself that I would still see Sunfish every day; I just wouldn't be sleeping with her.

There were a few scattered nests here and there. At least it was roomy. But it wouldn't help in leaf-bare when it was colder than the frozen river. I thought about the river.

This year, the river hadn't frozen at the time it usually does. I shrugged, it will probably freeze tonight.

_Tonight!_

I had completely forgotten! I was supposed to meet Graykit! Suddenly feeling frantic, I spun around and raced out of the den.

"Silverpaw!" my mentor called, "Where are you going?" I stopped in my tracks. I spun my head around in embarrassment.  
>"Sorry," I mumbled, "I had just remembered something."<p>

"It's alright," Creamfur meowed softly, though she looked thoroughly confused, "C'mon back to the den." I padded back with Creamfur, and ignored all of the questionable faces.

While I had been thinking away, Creamfur had actually been working. She had gathered some reeds that were in the back of the den, and laid them flat. Then, she had woven soft feathers into the reeds. The nest looked _so _soft.

"Thank you," I meowed, dipping my head. I didn't want to be rude;plus, she had done all of the work for _my _nest.

"Hey, I'm your mentor now, I've gotta' watch out for ya'," Creamfur meowed brightly, "Just let me know if you need anything. I know it's kind of hard when you first become an apprentice." Then she pretended to look strict. "Now, training starts bright and early; so no oversleeping!" She relaxed, bid goodnight, and then disappeared into the Warrior's Den across the camp.

I settled down in my nest, and waited. I wasn't quite ready to fall asleep, but I had nothing else to do. I could go and visit Sunfish, but that'd just make me lonelier. Then I realized that I could hear the other apprentices as they walked across the camp.

As soon as they entered, they said hello, and then settled down in their nests. I didn't feel lonely anymore, but Graykit was still etched into the back of my mind. I waited and waited, and watched for the other apprentices to fall asleep.

I thought that one she-cat, Pebblepaw, would never go to sleep. But finally, her breathing slowed, and the whole den was filled with quiet snoring.

I smiled, and slipped out of my nest, then slid out of the apprentice's den. Just outside, I paused, searching for cats that might still be awake. No sound was made, and nothing was seen. I crawled across camp, my belly almost touching the pebbly ground. I raced through the camp entrance, and headed towards the river.

_No guard tonight? Strange…_

My heart leapt as the river came into view. It flowed passed with its great strength, beauty and brilliance. I had always loved the river. It was always something interesting to look at, as well as the best part of Riverclan territory.

I scanned the river, looking for the best place to cross, and realized that floating on top of the water were flecks of ice. Suddenly the thought of swimming across didn't sound so good. I let my gaze travel all of the way across the river. It stopped when I saw two fluffy gray paws.

_Graykit!_

The gray kitten was smiling.

"Hi!" He called over the rush of the river, yawning. It made me yawn, too. We both giggled.

"Hello," I called back, "Just a second!"

I braced myself, and plunged into the river. Usually Riverclan kits don't know how to swim, but my father made an exception, and taught me a moon ago. Now I can swim as good as a Warrior!

I tried to think of this as I swam across the freezing river. It was icy and made my paws numb. Despite the strong current, I made my way across.

When I looked up from the shore, I saw Graykit sitting there, with his mouth gaping. "I just can't get used to you swimming."

"Well, I _am _a Riverclan cat, aren't I?" I asked, shaking the water out of my pelt.

"Yeah," Graykit meowed, then he looked thoughtful "But I thought the river freezes."

"Yes, it usually does by now, but this year it's late," I said, "It's hard for the river to freeze, because it's always moving; it has to get really cold for it to freeze."

"Oh, well, I guess its freezing now, right?"

"Yes, if it keeps up at this pace, I expect it'll be totally frozen by dawn."

"Cool! I'd like to see it then."

"I don't mean to be rude," I began, "but you're not even supposed to be out of camp."

"It'll be alright; no one will find out," Graykit insisted, his eyes looking straight into mine.

"If you're so sure," I said. I couldn't help it; his blue eyes were so…innocent. I just had to agree with him!

"Wanna play?" Graykit asked, waving his tail through the air.

"Sure," I replied, taking the same stance.

As soon as he heard my reply, Graykit crouched down, and prepared to pounce. I could see what he was doing and side-stepped out of the way before he got to me. Graykit squealed as he almost dove head-first into the river. I ran from him, going round, and round.

I gasped, but ran as soon as I saw that he was safe. I jumped on to a low ledge that was below Sunningrocks. I climbed as fast as I could, but Graykit was too fast. He caught up to be, andreached his paws up and got a hold of my tail.

"YOW!"He grabbed my tail in between his teeth and pulled. I started to slide down the rocks and they began to scrape my forepaws badly. I thought that the trail of sharp, pointed rock would never end, but finally I was pulled down on to the cold, hard rocks below.

My forepaws throbbed as I moaned; my head didn't feel so well either.

Suddenly, Graykit was in front of me, he crouched down low, ready to attack.

"Take that!" He exclaimed. I moaned again, wanting the pain to end, wanting it to go away. I wanted to call out to Graykit, but the pain was so much…

Graykit's eyes widened with realization. He straightened up, then made his way over to me.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his eyes filled with worry. He examined me quickly.

"Y-yes I think so," I meowed pitifully. Graykit still looked very concerned for me.

"I'm no Medicine Cat!" Graykit wailed, "What do I do?"

"Graykit…just, lie…down…with…me," I said weakly.

Graykit looked at me, "It's all I can do," he said, smiling. He came up to me and lay down.

"I am _so _sorry," he whispered to me.

"It's alright," I replied.

"I can't believe I _hurt _you," Graykit said sadly.

"I'm fine Graykit," I said, as my eyes began to close.

"Silverpaw?" Graykit asked.

"Yes?" I replied, barely awake.

"I think that I-"

That was the last thing I heard before I drifted off to sleep.

Graykit's Adventures

Part 4

Frozen

I smiled when I felt Silverpaw's warmness next to me.

_She stayed with me _all night!

I yawned, careful not to wake Silverpaw up. Her slow breathing soothed me. I watch the gentle rise and fall of her chest for a moment. I sighed happily, and reached my paw out to try and wake Ravenkit up.

Then, I sat up, realizing something. I was not in the not in the nursery. I was not even in camp. I was at Sunningrocks, with another apprentice. An apprentice from a whole other clan, that is.

_Silverpaw._

I wished she were in Thunderclan with me, but I know her clan would miss her too much. I suddenly felt guilty for wanting to take her away from them; how could I do that? I sighed, and watched her sleep for a few moments.

As if she could tell I was watching her, Silverpaw sat up and looked at me. She stared at me for a moment, a little confused, but then she smiled.

"Good morning," she sighed.

"Hey," I replied, "Sleep well?"

Silverpaw nodded then stretched, and yawned. She stood up and we stared at each other in silence for a moment.

"Well, I'd better be getting back," Silverpaw finally said, looking a little disappointed.

"Okay," I meowed, trying to not look to upset. Anyway, I probably needed to go back home too. I knew that Willowpelt would be frantic if she found me missing. "Goodbye."

"Bye," Silverpaw meowed, brushing against me in farewell.

"Bye," I repeated, even though I had already said it. Suddenly I remembered, "When should we meet again?"

Silverpaw looked thoughtful, "Well, I'll be busy with apprentice duties, and I need to show that I'm trusting, so, we better wait until tomorrow night."

"Oh, okay," I agreed, a little miserable. I wanted to be able to see her sooner. But then again, it was probably best to agree with her.

"Then tomorrow it is," Silverpaw stretched again, and then turned to the river

… … …

I stared in horror, frozen, completely frozen. I was frozen, and so was the river. It was my only way back home, and it was frozen _solid! _

_What am I going to do? How am I going to get back home? _

I honestly didn't know.

"What am I going to do?" I asked no one in particular.

"Wait," Graykit meowed, coming to stand beside me, "Doesn't this make things easier? Now you don't have to swim!"

"Oh Graykit, I wish it were that simple," I meowed, shaking my head "But we don't know how thick the ice is."

"Then let's look," Graykit said. He looked like nothing would make him give up. I was about to protest, and say that only Riverclan warriors were able to tell, but Graykit seemed so determined, I just stayed quiet.

"Okay," I meowed, not very sure. I followed him up to the ice, and pressed my paw down on it for a moment. The ice did not move.

"Look, its solid!" Graykit exclaimed.

"Yes, solid enough to hold the weight of one paw," I replied a little sourly. Graykit ignored me.

"Okay, then press down on it," he suggested.

"Graykit! I don't want to fall in!" I said shrilly.

Graykit stepped back, looking positively hurt.

"Graykit," I whispered.

He looked at me sadly for a moment, "I'm only trying to help."

"I know; I'm sorry."

"Okay, just let me figure this out." Graykit paced for a moment, and then looked at me, his eyes bright, "Okay, so you need to find out if the ice is thick enough to hold a cat. Try looking towards the bottom of the river. If you can see the current, then it probably isn't that solid."

I nodded.

_Wow, that's actually not a bad idea! _

I looked at the ice, closer this time. I could see fish swimming below the ice. My heart sank.

_They might be on the bottom of the river, _I told myself.

I looked back again, but the fish weren't on the bottom of the river. They were only a couple of fish-tail lengths away from my nose.

"Graykit," I said, my voice trembling "The ice is too thick to break and make a path across, and too thin to walk across."

Graykit just stared at me with wide, terror-struck eyes.

"How are you going to get back?" He finally said.

I didn't have time to respond.

As if right on cue, the bushes rustled and three cats appeared. They smelled of undergrowth and trees.

_Thunderclan._

One of them, a dark gray she-cat's eyes widened.

"Graykit?" She meowed. She rushed forward and scooped him up in her jaws.

"Mom!" Graykit whined "I'm not two moons old! You don't have to carry me!" Willowpelt set Graykit down.

"Well obviously I do," Willowpelt shot back "Because you've been sneaking out of camp!"

Willowpelt picked Graykit back up her jaws. Graykit groaned. Graykit shot an embarrassed side-glance at me, and closed his eyes.

"Excuse me while I take Graykit back to camp." Willowpelt mumbled through Graykit's fur. She flicked her tail, and was gone.

Not one heartbeat had gone by when the two toms slid their glances to me.

"Well, well what do we have here?" The tom was silver with black stripes. I knew that he knew I was only an apprentice, and that I was trapped.

"Um," I said, looking around anxiously.

"Seems like a little Riverclan apprentice," The tom taunted "Or as we call them, fishies!"

The dark tom next to him whispered in his ear, and they sniggered together. Suddenly, an idea popped into my head.

"Hey," I meowed at the dark tom "I don't know about your clan, but my clan respects our warriors. We don't sit around as if they were the same rank as we are."

"What?" The tom asked, his amber eyes wide in exasperation.

"Yeah," the silver tom said "fishy's right! Stop acting as if you were already a warrior!"

"What?" The tom repeated, "I'm not!"

"Yes, you are!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"NO!"

_Perfect._

I slid around the two fighting toms, and headed into the forest. The two toms didn't even notice that I was gone. I smiled at my accomplishment.

If I couldn't get back home, I'd make my own until I could. I trotted through the trees, and under the undergrowth. I wasn't used to trees all around me, and I got confused. Everything looked the same. Brambles pricked my fur, and scratched my back. It felt like I was always going in circles.

Eventually, as the sun came to its highest, I found a small hollow. The floor was covered in sand, and was nice and quiet.

_Perfect. _

On the far side of the hollow, I made a dip in the sand and closed my eyes.

_This will have to work for now…_

Soon, a clouded, cold blackness came over me.

_Ow!_

Something prodded me in the side. I opened my eyes.

A dark brown shape formed in front of me. It was blurry and had big eyes.

Wait.

Eyes?

Was this thing alive? I blinked and shook my head. The brown shape came into focus. It was a small, dusky brown she-cat. Her amber eyes were wide in curiosity.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Um," I meowed, unsure of what to say. Suddenly everthing spilled out, "Please don't tell anyone I'm here! I was on the bank, by Sunningrocks, and got trapped here when the river froze!"

The she-cat's eyes widened even more. For a moment, she looked thoughtful.

"Alright, I won't tell anyone you're here," She said after a moment, "In fact, I think I'll help you get back."

"You will?" I asked, my hopes rising. The she-cat nodded. I relaxed a bit.

_Everything's going to just fine._

"Wait, you're not a kit are you?" The she-cat asked.

"No," I meowed guiltily, "And that's what makes it even sillier. It's my first day as an apprentice, and I wreck it. I'm sure Sunkit and Rockkit wouldn't be as silly and reckless."

"It's okay," Mousepaw meowed "Apprentice's can get into trouble too. I should know, I gotten in trouble _loads _of times."

"You have?" I asked.

"Yep, just because you're not a kit anymore doesn't mean you don't get into trouble," Mousepaw said. "C'mon, I'll take you home, now." She stood up, and led me out of the hollow. As we were walking, she looked back at me. "But remember this is only a temporary alliance. If I ever find you on my territory again, we'll have to fight. Think of it like…. like the night of a gathering. The truce only lasts as long as the full moon remains in the sky."

"Okay, I understand," I meowed "How many moons old are you?"

"Eleven and a half," Mousepaw replied "I hope to become a warrior soon. I've already passed my assessment. But, of course for me to become a warrior, my brother would have to pass his assessment, too."

"Do you know if he passed?" I asked.

"No. His mentor won't tell him, it's dumb," Mousepaw sighed.

"Oh, that's too bad," I said. Soon, we came to what I thought was the edge of Thunderclan territory. Through the trees, I could see a rocky, weird thing that connected the shores. "What's that?"

"It's a Twoleg bridge," Mousepaw replied "It connects Riverclan and Thunderclan territories. My plan is that you cross there, then you can go back to your camp." Mousepaw looked at me expectantly. I stood still, thinking. "Well, don't just stand there!" Mousepaw mewed. "Go! Before a patrol comes!"

"I- I can't," I admitted.

"Why not?" Mousepaw asked.

"Because from there, I don't know the way home," I admitted. Mousepaw's eyes widened.

"You should have said so," Mousepaw meowed. "But now, we need to change our plan."

"What are we going to do now?" I asked.

"Now, I have to go and get a warrior from my clan," Mousepaw meowed.

"No! You can't! Then, they'll know I was on your territory!" I exclaimed.

"I know, but I'll only tell one other cat. And she's very trusting. And anyway, if it was just me, and I took you back by myself, it'd make my clan look weak" Mousepaw said, I could tell that she was trying very hard to convince me.

"But, you're almost a warrior!" I said; I didn't want anyone to know about my mistake.

"I know," Mousepaw said, closing her eyes for a moment "But you have to understand! Please."

"Alright," I said glumly.

"Now, wait here in the bushes while I go and get my friend," Mousepaw instructed. I crouched in the bushes, and watched as Mousepaw disappeared into the forest.

_I'll be fine._

I knew I would. I just hoped another cat wouldn't find me.

… … …

I wriggled and tried to un-wrap the moss around me. Willowpelt had tied it tight, and I could hardly move. Outside I could hear my mother patching up any hole in the nursery wall. She claimed to be patching it up because there was a draft in the nursery. But she was just making sure I didn't get out anymore.

Over in the corner of the den, Sandkit and Dustkit were play-fighting. They rolled, and tumbled, with their teeth bared. It looked like a lot of fun. Near them, Ravenkit sat by, watching them. Since we got back, I had noticed that they were excluding Ravenkit from everything.

Then, I heard the pawing, and shoving outside stop. Willowpelt walked into the nursery. She walked closer and closer me.

I could feel it coming.

She opened her mouth, and reached out her tongue.

_Smack._

Her tongue rolled over the fur on my face. Lick after lick after lick.

I groaned and I whined, trying to be so annoying that she would stop, but nothing seemed to convince her to stop. She knows how much I hate it, how much I _despise_ it.

"Mom!" I finally exploded.

"Oh Graykit, you're filthy and you know it," Willowpelt scolded, "so stop whining," Willowpelt meowed.

I groaned again.

"Graykit, stop that." Willowpelt continued to wash me. But because she had wrapped me up in moss, she was only able to wash my face. I could tell that she was taking a long time just to make me mad.

When she was finally done, she lay down next to me, and curled up. She wrapped her tail around me so that I wouldn't decide to leave. I felt her breathing slow, and soon she was asleep.

I didn't know what to do. I wanted to get out of this moss, and find Silverpaw. I didn't know if she was okay!

My stomach tightened with worry; what if she _wasn't _okay?

_I have to get out of here! _

Suddenly, I spotted a stick on the nursery floor. It wasn't a big one, but it was big enough. I reached out with my teeth, and grabbed it in my jaws. I stuck it down into the moss, and pulled with all my might. The moss snapped, and I was free. I was lucky that the moss was dry; otherwise it would've been much harder to break free.

I stood up and shook off the loose moss.

I looked to the back of the den and saw Sandkit, Dustkit and Ravenkit all curled up in a ball, asleep.

I sighed. I guess Ravenkit had moved on. He didn't need me anymore.

I peeked out of the entrance to the den. Across the camp, I could see Mousepaw; she was just coming into the gorse tunnel. She raced over to the nursery, and peeked inside, not noticing me.

"Oh, she's asleep," Mousepaw said quietly, her bright eyes dulling. She seemed to be gazing at Willowpelt.

"We could wake her," I suggested. Mousepaw jumped.

"Oh, hi Graykit. Are you sure it'd be okay?" Mousepaw asked.

"Yeah, she won't mind," I said.

_As long as I get out of here first. _

"Alright, if you're sure," Mousepaw meowed. She strode over to my mother, and prodded her with a paw. "Willowpelt?" Willowpelt shifted, and her amber eyes opened.

"Oh Mousepaw, what is it? Were you looking for Longpaw? I think he should be back from patrol by now," Willowpelt meowed.

"Oh, it's not that," Mousepaw meowed "I just needed help with something."

"Alright," Willowpelt meowed; she stood up, shook the moss off her pelt, and walked out of the den, not even noticing me.

_Where is she going?_

… … …

I shivered. The branches of the bush above me rustled. Something cracked a twig crack in the it came closer. For a few seconds it sounded muffled. Then I could tell what it was. It was four pairs of paws, tromping across the ground. Then, a scent came into my nose. I hardly recognized it, but it was familiar.

Mousepaw, and a dark gray she-cat came rounding a corner. I recognized the gray she-cat as the one from the shore earlier.

"There she is!" Mousepaw cried. They came towards me.

"This is the apprentice? Why, she hardly looks six moons old!" the other she-cat exclaimed. "Wait I recognize you. You were at the river this morning."

I nodded glumly.

"I know," Mousepaw meowed, then she looked at me, "This is Willowpelt."

"Hello," I meowed "And I am barely six moons old, I- I'm sorry."

"Well, I don't know what to say," Willowpelt meowed "It's good that you apologized, but you still need to learn your lesson."

"I know. And believe me, my clan will make sure of that," I said, dipping my head.

"Alright, no more jib jab. Let's get you home," Willowpelt meowed. She padded towards the Twoleg Bridge, and me and Mousepaw followed her.

Crossing the bridge was strange. For one thing, the surface was rocky, and cold, and for another, the river seemed to be far below, and it wasn't moving. I shivered at the thought of plunging deep into the dark liquid. Even though I could swim, I didn't want to fall in. I thought about falling and cracking the ice, and going deep, deep, into the darkness…

"Silverpaw?"  
>I jumped. Mousepaw was looking back at me, looking concerned, "Are you okay?"<p>

"Oh, um fine," I replied, and ran to the end of the bridge.

Finally we had crossed into to my territory. I felt more comfortable already. We padded alongside the frozen river. Soon, as the reeds began to get thicker, we heard a hiss. A blue-gray tom stepped out of the reeds.  
>"Stonefur!" I exclaimed. I ran up to him. The tom looked down at me.<p>

"Where have you been? Don't you know the clan has been searching for you since dawn?" he demanded. I shrunk under him. Stonefur turned towards Mousepaw and Willowpelt.

"Riverclan thanks you for returning our apprentice," Stonefur meowed "Now please, get off of our territory." He said the last sentence with a hiss. The two she-cats dipped their heads, and then padded away.

"Goodbye!" I called to Mousepaw. But she walked away, without looking back. Stonefur looked down at me.

"Don't make friends in other clans," He hissed, "It leads to trouble." Then he padded inside the camp. I followed him.

When I got inside, the clan had gathered around, and Crookedstar was out of his den. His yellow eyes met mine. They clearly said: _Get over here now._ I slid across camp towards the Highlog.

"Today, as all of you know, Silverpaw was missing. We thank Thunderclan for returning her," Crookedstar meowed.

"_Thank_?" A voice hissed from the crowd. I shrunk back in shock; I hadn't noticed how strong the rivalry was between clans.

_But it will never be like that for Graykit and I. _

"Yes," Crookedstar replied, "As you see, it was not Thunderclan's fault. Silverpaw crossed the borders herself." Most of the cats gasped, and turned angry and ashamed looks towards me. "I will decide her consequences."

Crookedstar looked straight at me. Without dismissing the meeting, he jumped back inside his den.

Cats scattered in different directions, some going to their dens, others going out of camp. As for me, I slowly inched my way towards Crookedstar's den. Before I entered, I turned around to scan the camp. Sunkit and Rockkit tumbled outside the nursery. Pebblepaw and Stripepaw talked together. Everthing seemed normal. All except one thing.

Right in the center of camp, Creamfur sat staring at me in embarrassment.

We met eyes for a moment; my light blue ones, and her deep amber ones. As we did, her eyes made a certain tom's face creep back into my mind.

_I did it for Graykit, _I wanted to say.

Creamfur shook her head, and turned away.

I darted into the den with dismay.

Inside, it was dark and warm. When I stepped in, two yellow eyes glittered at the back of the den. Crookedstar stepped out of the shadow.

"What were you thinking?" He demanded, looming over me.

"I- I-"

"Do you know how much debt we owe Thunderclan now?"

"No."

"Well, a lot. You need to learn your lesson. You caused a lot of worry and trouble. Why you crossed the borders I don't know, but you need to apologize to clan, and to Creamfur," Crookedstar's mew was angrier than ever. "You are the clan leader's daughter. When you act like that, what message does that send to other cats?"

"Not a good one," I admitted.

"That's right. For four moons, you will have to clean the nursery, put moss in the elders den, and you're on tick duty, too," Crookedstar meowed sternly.

"What?" I asked, exasperated "Four moons?"

"Yes, now go and apologize to the clan."

"But dad!" I exclaimed, "If only you knew _why _I did it! You'd understand!"

"Why, Silverpaw? Why? What would make you be so mouse-brained that you'd _cross the border?_" Crookedstar demanded.

"Because-" I stopped short. How could I tell him about Graykit? He'd never understand. He'd just be even angrier. I couldn't let him know, not about Graykit. I couldn't put him in danger. He was still a kit. Just a kit… "I…wanted to see the fish from another angle…"

I frowned; it wasn't the truth. I had _always _told the truth. I _hated _lying, especially to my father. But it was the only way. It was the only way to protect my Thunderclan friend.

I found that tears were streaming down my face. It was too much. This was too much! I had lied to my own father, and crossed the border onto another clan territory! This was so unlike me! This was so wrong!

"That still isn't a reason to run away like that," Crookedstar's voice was calmer now. He moved closer to me, and curled his tail around me as if I were still a kit, "Silverpaw, I can't lose you. Not after your mother and sisters. I've lost everything; even my brother. You are what I have left. I _don't want to lose you. _Other clans are dangerous, Silverpaw. They're dangerous. That was not a safe choice that you made. I just want you to be safe."

I looked up at my father, who was solemn now.

"I'm sorry, dad."

"And I know you are. That wasn't like you."

"Do I still have to clean out the Elders den?"

Crookedstar laughed, "Well, alright, make it just for tonight. But I still want you to apologize to the clan, and to Creamfur."

"Alright," I sighed.

My father followed me out of the den, and the joined me on top of Highlog. "Everyone, Silverpaw has something to say." The clan paused.

"Um… I- I'm _really _sorry about what I did," I meowed. Crookedstar nodded.

Everyone remained silent.

Crookedstar beckoned to continue. "And- I'm sorry Creamfur, for embarrassing you. Also, everyone, I'm sorry for causing such trouble. This won't happen again." I dipped my head.

Still silence.

I looked at my dad, and he looked satisfied. I jumped down, shaking. Crookedstar smiled at me.

"Good girl," he praised. He touched noses with me.

… … … … … … … … … … … …

After cleaning out the Elders den, and being mocked at by the other apprentices, I went back to the den.

I huffed by the other apprentices. I couldn't believe them! I was the newest apprentice, and then they have to mock me! Some welcome!

As settled down in my nest, I decided that I was not embarrassed. I was not scared. I was not humiliated. I was angry. I was angry at those mean apprentices, and even at my father.

_Why did he have to make me announce everything to the clan? He just doesn't understand. He doesn't understand why I left. If only he was in my situation now. _Then _he'd understand…._

I laid my chin on my paws, and thought.

_Just wait until I'm a warrior. Then, I'll meet Graykit whenever I want and no one will ever find out. _

I closed my eyes, dreaming of Graykit.


	3. Chapter 3

Earthpaw's siblings

Part 1

Goodbye Forever

I padded out of my den, yawning. One the sleepiness faded, a nervous sensation rose inside of my stomach.

_We need to see the kits! _I felt like I hadn't seen them in forever, which was practically course Bluetail took Tigerpaw and me to see them _sometimes_, but it wasn't the same. I wanted them here, with me, too.

My thoughts brightened when I remembered the kits. I could see them now, running and chasing Star's three kits.

Then I remembered the names Bluetail had given them. How perfect they were.

Brokenkit was the orange tom, and the first one to be named. Perhaps at the time, Bluetail was thinking of Snowy, and how broken and lost he was without her. Or maybe it was the strange mark Brokenkit had on his chest; a black zig-zag, right over his heart.

There was also Icekit, the smallest of the four. As she grew, her similarity with her sister had faded. They had very different personalities, and Icekit had developed beautiful silver tabby markings. They were almost transparent, but still shiny and beautiful. Those markings must have been where her name came from.

Then there's Blackkit. His name is almost the exact opposite of what he looks like. He's white with black paws, and ears, the reason for his name. Blackkit is smart, and easy-going. He's almost always happy, and loves to play-fight, just like any kit does.

And last, is Snowkit. Yes, her name is the most obvious. Well, at least according to me.

When Bluetail looked to her to give her a name, I saw him almost fall down. Snowkit had looked up and Bluetail and squealed, "Snow! Snow!"

Bluetail had almost jumped back in shock. He had then said, "Her name is Snowkit, definitely."

I haven't found much out about Snowkit. So far, she's sat in the corner, and been quiet. She hasn't quite figured life out just yet.

But then there's Rusty.

Rusty is basically Snowkit's best friend. They do everything together, except when Rusty wants to play with the other kits. Rusty will sit in the corner with Snowkit, and whenever I'm there, I'll see them whispering together.

_I wonder if they still do…We haven't been there in so long…That probably didn't change anything. Snowkit and Rusty are probably still great friends. _

Now, I sat waiting for Bluetail and Tigerpaw to wake up. I sighed, knowing that if I tried to wake either of them they'd hiss at me until I had backed away and given up.

_C'mon, c'mon! _Wake up! _Wait, what's wrong with me?_

Usually I wasn't impatient at all. But recently, I had been. I just wanted to visit the kits so much, that it had become all that I could think of.

After forever, I saw Bluetail stretch and pad out of his den. I relaxed completely.

_I'll see them soon…_

Bluetail yawned, "G'morning, Earthpaw. You're up early."

"Um, yeah. Just wanna get out and see those kits," I said, smiling.

"Oh, so _that's _why you've been acting so strange," Bluetail concluded, "you just want to see the kits." A look of relief wafted across his face.

_Did he think something was wrong with me?_

I shrugged the thought off; if he had, he didn't now.

"So, are we going to see the kits?" I asked hopefully.

Bluetail nodded, "Yes."

I brightened.

"After I eat."

I drooped.

_So much for that. _

"Well, um, I'll get a head start-"

"No, Earthpaw," Bluetail mewed as he dug up a vole he had buried last night, "I can't have you going alone. What if the Twolegs see you? I can't lose you."

I sighed, "Fine."

I didn't understand why he had to be so protective. I know that he had lost Snowy, but couldn't he trust me? The Twolegs had never seen us, let alone bother us. Still, I had to listen to Bluetail; he was my father. I didn't want him angry, not after that time in the forest.

"Why don't you just go already?" I jumped, and turned around, only to discover that it was only Tigerpaw.

"Tigerpaw, either your still half asleep, or your just dumb. Bluetail _just _told me to stay here."

Tigerpaw rolled his eyes, "Typical goody-goody act."

"Hey! I'm no goody-goody! I just follow the rules!"

"Yeah, and are afraid of getting told off, and going out to have a life!" Tigerpaw retorted.

"Bluetail has _reasons _for these rules, you know," I replied.

"Yeah, to make us miserable," Tigerpaw snorted.

"No, to keep us safe. I know that they're a little over the top, but he just doesn't want to lose us!"

"He probably doesn't care about what _I _do," Tigerpaw said. For once he actually looked upset, "I'm just the trouble maker. I'm not special, and smart, and kind, like-"His eyes drifted to mine, but then turned angry again, "Forget it. I'm not gonna' be able to get through to some G-G." Tigerpaw huffed away. I watched him stalk out of the hollow, flicking his tail angrily.

I sighed.

_Typical Tigerpaw. _

"Okay, Earthpaw, are you ready to go to see the kits?" I peeled my eyes off of the spot where Tigerpaw had left, and to Bluetail.

"Yeah," I said, standing up.

I led the way quickly to the hollow entrance.

"Where's Tigerpaw?" Bluetail asked.

… … … … ... … … … … … … … …

I purred; we were _finally _at the nest! Not wanting to wait anymore, I sped ahead of Bluetail, and pushed myself over the fence. I rushed inside the nest, and found Star curled up asleep.

At first I expected to see my brothers and sisters asleep, but then I remembered that we hadn't visited the kits in a long time. They would be past that stage; they'd want to run and play all day. I desperately looked around, trying to find any movement in the room.

Suddenly, there was a flash of movement. I whipped around, and spotted an orange tom sliding up to a fake mouse.

_Is that _Rusty? _He's so big! _

Without even seeing me, Rusty wacked the mouse out from underneath it, and flipped it into the air. His eyes lit up as it soared into the air. He watched it for a moment, and then wacked it back up. Rusty was prepared to chase it again, but it was caught by someone else. Someone that I barely recognized.

The orange tom standing before me lashed out with excellent timing. He grabbed the mouse in his jaws, and turned, running and squealing.

I sighed; so much for looking so grown-up. Still, I couldn't help but feel proud; my brother had grown so much! 

I sat, and prepared to watch the scene play out.

Rusty, looking exasperated, chased after Brokenkit, and tackled him.

Brokenkit squealed, not liking that he was being crushed by the bigger cat. Rusty squabbled for the mouse, trying to reach his jaws around Brokenkit's head.

Rolling her eyes, Princess padded up.

"You guys are so immature," She scoffed.

"Oh yeah?" Rusty challenged, still trying to get the mouse, "Well you're just too _weak _to play with us!"

"Yeah!" Brokenkit agreed.

_Since when is _Brokenkit _mean to she-cats? _

"Weak, eh?" Princess asked, "Then take _this!" _She quickly bent down, and swiped the mouse right out of Brokenkit's jaws. With an amused expression, Princess padded away, flicking her tail lightly.

I couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Hey!" Brokenkit called angrily.

"Ya' snooze, ya' lose!" Princess called.

Rusty scoffed, and climbed off of Brokenkit, "She-cats."

Brokenkit stood up, "Yeah, I know, right? What was she doing on _our _side?"

"I dunno'," Rusty replied, "Well, c'mon, Brokenkit, let's go find Blackkit."

"Okay!" Brokenkit followed right behind Rusty, watching his every move.

I turned around and watched where Princess was going. She padded to a corner, out of view from where Rusty and Brokenkit had gone.

I followed her and sat down a few feet away.

"You got it!" A tiny voice squealed.

"Yep," Princess replied. I peered around a corner and saw that the voice had belonged to Icekit. She, too, seemed to have grown, despite her small size.

"So, now _we _get a turn to play with it?" Icekit asked.

"Well, I guess so," Princess said.

"Yay!" Icekit jumped up, and batted the air with her paws. Then she looked to Snowkit, who was sitting, and looking in the direction of where Rusty had disappeared only moments before. "Snowkit? You wanna' play?" Icekit looked hopeful, but Snowkit didn't answer. "Snowkit?" There still was no reply. Snowkit looked as if she was frozen.

"Snowkit?" Now Princess looked concerned. She called out to Snowkit a few more times, without getting through. "Meh, she's just in one of her states, Icekit. C'mon, I'll play with you."

"Okay!" Icekit followed Princess out into the open where there was more room.

After they were out of earshot, I stepped around the corner and sat next to Snowkit, "Snowkit?" She instantly turned her head towards me.

"Earthpaw? Earthpaw! It is you!" Snowkit jumped up, purring.

I purred back, "Yep." I touched noses with her affectionately, "Look how big you've grown!"

Snowkit flicked her tail, "Well, I _guess _I've grown."

"Of course you have!" I exclaimed, "You've all grown! Especially Rusty...man, is he big!"

"Rusty?"A dazed look slid back onto her face, "Yeah…He's amazing…"

"Snowkit?" I stood up, feeling worried. Snowkit looked off into the distance, seeming to watch the spot where Rusty had disappeared, "Snowkit!"

"Earthpaw?" I turned and saw that Icekit was back, Princess behind her. I purred.

"Hi Icekit," I mewed. Icekit sprang up to me, landing on my back lightly.

"Earthpaw! Earthpaw!" She danced around on my back, seeming to try out my name. I laughed, delighted with her happiness, "You're _back."_

"Yes I am," I mewed happily.

"Earthpaw?" A white head appeared around the corner.

"Hey, Blackkit!" I exclaimed, touching noses with him. Blackkit purred.

"It _is _you! I thought that Princess and the others were trying to play some sort of trick!"

_Princess and the others? Those _others _are his sisters! What has Twolegplace turned them into? _

"Did someone say Earthpaw was here?" It was Brokenkit, carefully padding around the corner, "I mean, if it's okay if I come over here…"

Princess nodded, "Go ahead, but then you go back to Rusty."

_Where does Tiny fit into this? Is he just alone because he's small? _I found myself worrying about a kit that I barely knew. I knew that Icekit was small like him, and suddenly I was worried for both of them.

_Stop! You're acting like Bluetail! _I reminded myself that both Tiny and Icekit were fine.

Brokenkit sat in front of me, looking very small. Dipping his head he said, "Greetings, Earthpaw, your presence is appreciated."

I almost fell over backwards.

"What's this kind of talk for?" I asked, "You're my brother for goodness sake! You don't have to talk like that!"

"But, Rusty said that it was polite," Brokenkit said quietly.

"What does Rusty know?" I asked, suddenly feeling a little angry, "He's a kit; not a Clan leader!"

All of the kits around me gasped.

"How could you?" Princess demanded, shaking her head.

"How could I what?" I asked. I sat down, and Icekit fell off of my back with a yelp, "Since when should kits lead other kits?"

"We have our ways, and you have yours," Princess replied darkly, "Now, Brokenkit, Blackkit, back you your camp!" She said this with such distaste it was almost as if she was sending real enemies away, "You too, Earthpaw. I don't need you here in my camp!"

Rolling my eyes, I padded away and followed Blackkit and Brokenkit.

"Earthpaw!" I heard Icekit shriek from behind me, "Don't go!"

"He _has _to," I heard Snowkit said, "_Princess _said so."

I huffed on, trying to hold my anger in. Brokenkit and Blackkit led me around another corner in the room, where Rusty sat.

"So?" he asked, "Did they have it?"

"Have what?" Brokenkit asked.

"The _mouse," _Rusty said, gritting his teeth.

"Oh, that..." Brokenkit said, "Well, we brought in a new recruit! It's Earthpaw."

"New recruit?" I asked, "Oh no, don't get me into this mess."

"Mess?" Rusty asked, looking furious, "_This_, my friend, is a _clan._"

I snorted, "Sorry, Rusty, but this is _nothing _like a clan."

The haughty look in his eyes disappeared, "It's not?"

"No," I replied.

His eyes filled with curiosity, "Then what is a clan like?" His voice was now soft.

"Well, first of all, we don't separate ourselves from she-cats," I began, "And second, we don't fight all of the time."

"We don't!" Blackkit spoke up for the first time in a while, "We just don't go onto each other's territory."

"This doesn't make sense," I replied, "There isn't _room _for there to be territory."

Rusty nodded, "Yes there is; we've divided up the kitchen in half. We have this half, they have the other one."

"Why do you keep apart from the she-cat's?" I asked.

"Because they're the enemy," Brokenkit replied, crouching low.

"No, no, no," I said, "They're not." I turned to Rusty, "Do you know what Snowkit does over there?"

"I suppose she takes-"

"Wrong!" I interrupted, "She sits and mopes around, thinking about _you." _

His eyes widened, "_ME?" _

"Yes, you," I replied, "She wants to be your friend, but can she when she has to stay on _her _side of the- the-"

"Kitchen?" Blackkit suggested.

"Yeah, the kitchen," I said.

"No," Rusty said quietly, "She can't." He stood up defiantly, "I'm going to fix this. Rustyclan is hereby dissolved!"

"_Dissolved?_"Brokenkit and Blackkit asked.

Rusty nodded, "Yes, dissolved, in order for _us _to become _real cats!" _With a determined yowl, he rounded the corner and ran to Princess, Icekit, and Snowkit.

"Hey, Tiny will be happy," Brokenkit mewed.

"Where _is _Tiny?" I asked, looking around.

"He might be over with Star," Blackkit suggested, "He usually stays over there. When we formed Rustyclan and Princessclan, he said that he didn't want to be a part of it."

"Oh," I said, nodding. _Smart kit. _

A few moments later, I heard playful yowls from around the corner. I turned around and saw Rusty and Snowkit chasing each other in circles.

"You can't catch me!" Snowkit squealed.

"Yes I can!" Rusty said, taking bigger strides. I purred; this was right. Kits were supposed to be playful, and happy, and carefree. Suddenly there was a soft mew.

"Kits, come here!" Rusty and Snowkit froze, Icekit appeared from around the she-cat's corner, followed by Princess, and I followed Brokenkit and Blackkit to where the voice was coming from.

Star was sitting on her same squishy twoleg-made bed, with Bluetail nearby. Tiny sat next to the bed, a dull look in his light eyes.

"Kits," Star said in her quiet voice, "Bluetail is here to see you!"

"Daddy!" All four of my little brothers and sisters pounced on Bluetail. Bluetail wasn't expecting his tiny little kittens to tackle him, and fell to the floor.

"Ah!" He screeched as he fell onto his back. The kits swarmed around him, squealing with joy. "Hi, guys," Bluetail said after recovering from the shock.

"Daddy, where have you been?" Brokenkit demanded.

"Yeah!" Icekit said, flicking her tail.

Bluetail sat up, "What do you mean, 'where have I been?'"

"You haven't come to visit us in a long time!" Snowkit spoke up, "We've missed you and Earthpaw."

"Oh," Bluetail mewed, "I haven't been anywhere. Well, just at home."

"You mean in the forest?" Rusty was suddenly next to me.

Bluetail's gaze slid from the others kits to Rusty, "Yeah, in the forest. Why?"

Rusty's eyes glowed. He seemed to be in the same sort of trance that Snowkit was before, except it was different at the same time. After a moment, Rusty shook his head, "No reason." He sat down. "I just thought-"

"Rusty, we've been through this," Star said, stepping off of the bed.

Rusty sighed, "I know."

Bluetail looked concerned, "Been through what?"

Star sat next to Rusty, curling her tail around him. Rusty looked so gloomy, he didn't brush it off. Star took a moment, and then spoke, "Rusty would've liked to become a Warrior in the wild. I had to tell him that that isn't possible."

"Well why isn't it possible?" Bluetail asked.  
>"Don't you require Warrior blood?" Star asked.<p>

"Well, that's how it's always been, but things can change," Bluetail mewed.

Star closed her eyes, looking stressed, "I don't want him to get hurt. Especially since- since-"

"Since what?" Rusty asked, looking up angrily.

"Since you're soft. Okay, Rusty? I said it! You're too soft to be a wild cat!" Star had stood up, and her voice was shrill.

Rusty shrunk back, "_Soft? _You don't think that I could be a wild cat?"

Star shook her head, her eyes closed, "I'm sorry Rusty. You can't go out there; it's just _too _dangerous for you."

Bluetail sat with a grave expression on his face. In my mind, I urged him to do something, but he just sat there. Inside, I knew that any cat could become a warrior, with enough perseverance. Rusty may be soft, but he was also a kit. I believed that Rusty _could _become a Warrior, and a good one too. He was, in fact, the most adventurous in his litter.

"Dangerous?" Instead of Bluetail, Snowkit spoke up. Star's green eyes ventured from the floor, to Snowkit.

"Well, yes," She replied, "The forest is dangerous, if you don't know what's out there, or how to hunt for your own food, living in the forest could be scary."

Snowkit's eyes widened, "I'd never thought about it that way."

"But, Snowkit, Bluetail, and Earthpaw _do _know how to hunt, and protect us, so we don't have to worry about anything," Icekit added, "Just because _we _can't doesn't mean no one else can."

"Well, I guess…" Snowkit said, but still looked worried.

"Speaking of going to the forest," Bluetail finally spoke up. Everyone looked at him. "Kits, I've discussed it with Star, and we've concluded that you are old enough to come and live in the forest!"  
>Icekit's eyes widened, "<em>Really?" <em>

Brokenkit jumped up into the air, "YES!"

Blackkit looked like he was about to fall over with happiness. Seeing this, I rushed over to him, and sat behind him, preventing him from falling.

"You okay, there?" I asked.

"What?" Blackkit asked, "Oh, yeah…I'm fine. Well, more than fine, actually. You know what? I'm _perfect." _

I smiled.

"Snowkit? You haven't said anything," Bluetail said.

Snowkit was staring at the ground. She looked up at Bluetail, "Well, I _did _want to go to the forest, but if it's dangerous…"

Bluetail blinked a few times, seeming not to believe what his daughter was saying. I didn't blame him; I thought that Snowkit was talking crazy talk too, but I still listened to her.

"What?" Icekit asked. She stood up and padded a few steps closer to her sister, "But Snowkit, what about us training together? Don't you remember us talking about it together? We were going to be apprentices together!" Tears began to form in her eyes.

"I still want that Icekit, I do," Snowkit said, not looking at Icekit, "But I don't think I can leave here. I mean, not after all the time we've spent here."

"Snowkit, it's not your choice to make," Bluetail looked angry now. Snowkit looked up, shocked at the hardness in his voice.

"Why?"

"Because you're too young to make decisions. I was dumb; I thought that I could trust you to choose correctly," he replied.

"Oh, so living like we do is incorrect?" Now it was Star's turn to be angry. She may be a Kittypet, but she could still snap faster than anyone.

Bluetail's eyes met Star's, "No, I didn't mean-"

"Of course you did!" Star returned. She snorted, "Now, get out of here, and take your wild kits with you!" With that, Star picked Tiny up by the scruff, and led Princess and Rusty away.

"Mom! Just because my _name _is Tiny doesn't mean that I _am _tiny!" Tiny's voice faded as Star disappeared around the corner.

Bluetail sighed, muttering, "Why does _everything _happen to me?" He sat staring at the floor for a moment, then looked up at me. "Earthpaw, please take Icekit, Brokenkit, and Blackkit out to the garden; I need to talk to Snowkit."

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

I shivered; I was going to have a, 'talk,' with my angry father _alone. _

I watched Earthpaw lead my two brothers and sister away. Before she left, Icekit stopped next to me, and stared at me sadly. She rested her thin, silvery tail on my shoulder for a moment, and then continued outside.

Bluetail waited until they had left, and then he filled in the space between us. I looked up at him, ready for my fate. What had I done? All I had said was that I wanted to stay because I liked it here! There's nothing wrong with that, is there?

"Snowkit," Bluetail mewed.

"Yes?"

"Why do you want to stay here?"

"Because I like it here; everything is familiar," I replied.

"I was afraid of that," Bluetail said gravely.

"Why?"

"It's nothing. Snowkit, don't you want to become an apprentice?"

"Well, yeah. But why does that mean I have to leave my home?"

"Snowkit, this is not your home. You haven't even been to your home yet," Came the reply.

"That doesn't even make sense!"

"So? Just because it doesn't make sense doesn't mean it's not true. I don't understand why you'd rather stay here, than live like a real cat," Bluetail said, angry again.

"Why can't I choose for myself?" I stood up defiantly, standing nose-to-nose with Bluetail.

"Because you're only one moon old, and you haven't even experienced anything, and because I'm older than twelve moons old, and I've experienced a lot of things!" Bluetail spilled out quickly.

I stepped back, and stared at my father. He was so haughty, so know-it-all, so-so- _irritating! _I almost wanted to claw him right now.

Then in that moment, it was too much to take. I couldn't bear to look at Bluetail any longer. I spun around and went in the direction Rusty had gone. I knew that in all of this confusion, I could rely on Rusty to help me. He was my friend; I could trust him. Rusty would know exactly what to do; he always did.

I was almost out of the kitchen, when suddenly I was scooped up, and my paws were flailing in the air. I suddenly relaxed instinctively. I don't know why; something inside of me made me do it.

I wanted to scream out; _let me go! Put me down! _ But my mouth didn't seem to be working. Bluetail padded across the kitchen calmly, and then stepped through a flap in the wall.

Bright sunlight met my eyes, and I was blinded for a moment. Then my vision cleared, and I could see a huge expanse of- of….something. The stuff that coated the ground was not the usual smooth stuff that my paws were used to. The stuff on the ground was some strange green spikes. As Bluetail made his way across them, some of them brushed my back paws.

"Bluetail, are we ready to go?" It was Earthpaw, who was sitting near some huge brown planks. He looked impatient.

"No, not yet!" Brokenkit called, "I'm not ready to leave! I wanna' play out here some more!" He was tumbling over the ground with Blackkit, while Icekit watched over them, licking a paw.

"Brokenkit, you realize that there's even _more _beyond the fence, right?" Earthpaw asked.

Brokenkit froze, "You mean that there's _more?" _

"Of course there's more!" Icekit said, setting her paw down, "What, did you think that _this _was where were going?"

Brokenkit hung his head, "Well…no."

"Icekit, don't judge him," Earthpaw broke in, "There's nothing wrong with not knowing something." He turned back to Bluetail, "So, are we ready?"

"Wait!"

Bluetail turned around to see who was there, giving me the view also. My heart soared when I saw who it was.

It was Rusty.

He padded up to Bluetail, his big eyes round as pebbles. He stared up at Bluetail.

"Can I please have a word with Snowkit? It'd mean a lot to me, seeing as-" he paused, and took a deep breath, "We won't be able to see each other again."

_WHAT! Never again? I thought that this was just temporary! _

Suddenly I was on the ground. I stood up, and shook the daze out of my head.

"Alright, Rusty," Bluetail said.

"Thank you," Rusty thanked Bluetail, although he was looking straight into my eyes.

"Rusty," I said.

"It's okay," He replied, "We'll always be friends. We might not be able to see each other, but I'll never forget you, Snowkit."

"Same here," I felt so dumb. He had said all of meaningful stuff, and I only gave back two measly words.

Rusty still seemed satisfied, "I'll miss you always." He leaned in, and touched noses with me.

I blinked a few times in surprise. Then the surprise melted, and flowed down into my mouth, forming a smile.

"Thank you, Rusty," I replied, not completely sure what I was thanking him for, "I'm sorry that this is how it has to be."

"Sorry? It's alright, Snowkit. Sometimes there are complications, but everything will turn out all right. You'll grow up to be a wonderful, strong Warrior, and I'll have a good life here," Rusty replied.

"Yeah," I said, though it didn't exactly seem satisfactory.

"Okay, Snowkit, let's go," Bluetail suddenly spoke up.

I ignored him, "Maybe someday you can sneak away and come and visit us! Our hollow can't be too far."

"Well, maybe," Rusty said, "But how long will you stay in the hollow?"

"Stay in the hollow? Oh…I'm not sure," I replied.

"See, Snowkit. You may be kind of close now, but soon you'll be even _farther," _Rusty said sadly, "We've just go to say our goodbyes now."

"Snowkit, come on!"

I shielded Bluetail's words from my ears.

"Right now? But Rusty, it's so sudden! I can't say goodbye to you now! Or even ever!" I meowed.

"Nor can I, but this is how things work. I don't like any more than you do, but we _have _to, Snowkit, we _have _to," Rusty replied. He leaned close to me again, and I thought he was going to touch noses with me, but he passed by my nose, and came to my ear. As he moved, his whiskers tickled my face, reminding me of laughter and fun that I had had with Rusty today. "Snowkit, don't _ever _forget me. Someday I _will _see you again. I _will _become a Warrior, and I _will _find you. Don't forget our true friendship."

He backed away, and I was staring into his leaf-green eyes again.

"Snowkit, I don't want to tell you again! Get over here!" This time I acknowledged Bluetail's voice, but I couldn't seem to move away from Rusty.

There he sat, so perfect. His orange fur glowing like a fire, (something I'd never seen, but knew to be hot and wonderful) and his eyes shining brighter than anything I had ever seen. The sight of him made me happy, just looking at him made me feel wonderful inside. Feeling so relaxed next to him, I let my eyes drift down, down, to close.

Suddenly there was movement, and I opened my eyes.

Rusty was gone.

Or was it that _I _was the one that was gone? Suddenly I was rushed upward into the air, and I was on top of something. All I could see were tall trees, bushes, and more of the spiky stuff. There was nothing else, just more trees, and more bushes. Then I was turned around, and there was Rusty again.

"Coming, Bluetail!" Earthpaw called from below. He was carrying Icekit and Brokenkit, "But weren't you going to get Blackkit too?"

_How is he talking while he's holding them? _

"Oh, yeah," Bluetail spoke. I would've laughed if I weren't so upset; when Bluetail spoke, the grip on my scruff loosened a little, tickling it, "I'm already up here, though…"

Earthpaw sighed, "Okay…" He went and picked Blackkit up too, then began to climb the brown planks.

_I guess I'll never talk to Rusty again…_

Bluetail was about to turn around again, and take me away forever from my best friend, but at the last moment, Rusty spoke.

"Goodbye Snowkit!" He called. I wanted to call out, 'goodbye,' back, but I couldn't; I was in the same state in relaxation as I was before; unable to move, unable to speak.

Then it happened. Bluetail turned around, jumped down, and began to rush through the forest, away from Rusty, away from the life I knew. Away from the life I _wanted. _

_Goodbye, _I thought, _Goodbye Rusty..._

_Goodbye forever…_

"Snowkit?"

I opened my eyes. I was sitting down on a sandy ground, in the middle of a medium-sized hollow. Bluetail sat facing me, looking concerned.

"Are you okay?"

I looked up at him, not believing my ears, "Why would I be? You took me away from where I wanted to be."

"It'll seem better in time," Bluetail said, trying to convince me, but failing miserably.

I sighed, "Sure, whatever you say."

"Hey, Snowkit, come and look at this!" It was Icekit, standing with Blackkit, Brokenkit, and Earthpaw.

I half-heartedly stood up, and padded over to where Icekit had called from.

"Yeah?" I asked, once she was within earshot.

"Just _look _at this tree!" She said, her eyes sparkling, "It's the most _amazing _this I've ever seen!"

"Icekit, you haven't seen that many trees before," I replied.

"Sure I have, we just went through the forest," She said, "And _this _one is the most remarkable I've seen _yet." _

I sighed, "How?"

"Well, to find out, you have to go inside," Earthpaw replied, winking.

"_Inside?" _Brokenkit echoed.

"Yup," Earthpaw confirmed, "So follow me."

Earthpaw led the way closer to the tree. As we neared, I realized that there was an opening in the base of the trunk, near the roots. We all filed inside to explore.

"Whoa!" Blackkit's voice echoed on the walls of the den, "Is this where we get to sleep?"

Earthpaw laughed, "I'm glad you like it."  
>"But do we get to sleep here?" Brokenkit asked, repeating our brother's question.<p>

"Yeah, sure," Earthpaw replied.

"Wow! To think, we get to _sleep _in this amazing tree," Icekit mewed softly, "Isn't that great, Snowkit?" Her blue eyes met mine.

"Well…," I said, still feeling sour.

_Wait! You can't let Bluetail just make your life miserable! Show him that you can still be happy, or at least try to! _

Icekit stared at me, her bright eyes now dull with disappointment. This tree really excited her, and here I was not even caring one bit. She was my sister for goodness sake! I'm supposed to stick by her side!

"Yeah, it's amazing," I said, and Icekit's eyes lit up once again, "See look!" I rushed over to a wall, "We could put our nests here."

"Yeah!"Icekit said, following me. Her eyes looked from the spot to Earthpaw. "Can we?"

"Sure; it's your den. Are you two okay with that?" Earthpaw turned to my brothers.

"Okay!" Brokenkit said.

"Sounds cool," Blackkit said, "But, where do we get the moss to make a nest from?"

"Let's see…I think Bluetail had Tigerpaw get some off of the wall just yesterday, so it should still be pretty fresh.

"Let's look," Earthpaw padded out of the den. I followed him, and my littermates followed me.

Earthpaw led the way to the left where there was a huge rocky wall. Covering it from the ground all the way up to the top was thick, spongy moss.

"Oh, so _that's _where we'd get the moss," Blackkit mewed.

Earthpaw laughed, "Yup. But I think that we already have some piles somewhere." He continued along the wall until he reached where the bushes began to grow again. "Ah ha!"

His front half disappeared underneath a bush, and reappeared a moment later. Clamped tightly between Earthpaw's jaws was a huge wad of moss. He set it down gently and then said, "Okay, everyone grab some." He picked up the ball of moss again, and headed back towards the den.

I ran under the bush, grabbed some moss, and followed Earthpaw.

Once everyone was back in the den, Earthpaw began to show us how to flatten it out to make a nest. Soon there were four neat nests there.

"Wow," Blackkit said, "Our first forest beds."

Icekit nodded, "Yep."

Earthpaw smiled, "I'm glad that you like it here; I knew you would." He sat down, and licked a paw, "It's so much better than that silly Twolegplace."

I straightened.

_The Twolegplace? Rusty! Oh no…I've left him, left him forever! I went and had _fun _and enjoyed myself and forgot him! _

"Snowkit, are you okay?" It was Icekit, who was staring straight at me.

"I'm…I'm okay," I decided. I may be without Rusty, but I was okay. I could make it at least a little while.

_I know what to do! I'll stay here, seeing as Bluetail won't let me leave yet…Then I'll train as a Warrior, and then find Rusty when I'm strong enough to go out on my own. It's sure to work. He did promise that he'd find me again. And the best way to help him find me, is if _I _find _him.

I gave an encouraging smile to Icekit, who returned it warmly.

"Great," Icekit mewed happily, "I'm glad that you like it here; I just knew you would. Sometimes it just takes seeing to believe."

"Hey, what's this?" It was Brokenkit. He had ventured to the back of the den, and was gazing upward. Earthpaw padded over and looked up as well.

"Whoa! How could I not have noticed that before?" Earthpaw asked, "That's amazing!"

"Huh?" I followed, Blackkit and Icekit in tow.

I gazed upward to discover that the whole inside of the tree was hollow. Along the inside of the tree was a thin, twisted root that spiraled its way up to the top.

"How did the root grow _up?" _Icekit asked, mystified, "Especially since the tree is hollow! How is the tree even alive? I mean, the whole inside isn't even there!"

"Maybe it grew like that," Earthpaw suggested, "Everything's different."

"Yeah, Earthpaw, but could it be _that _different?" Blackkit asked.

"Sometimes there are things that are just different," Earthpaw replied, "It doesn't matter _how _different; it's just different. There's nothing wrong with being different, it just means that that's what makes you special." Earthpaw seemed to be talking about something other than the tree.

"Well can we go up there?" The question slipped out before I had known I had even thought it.

Earthpaw looked at me, "Well, of _course, _because the best way to learn about something, is to _climb _it."

"But what if I wanted to learn about a bird?" Icekit asked.

"Then you hunt one, and _eat _it," Came the reply. I giggled.

"Birds are for eating, Icekit," I mewed lightly, "Now c'mon, let's explore!" I jumped up onto the lowest part of the spiraling root, and began to climb around. I dug my claws in so that I wouldn't fall, and I was good to go.

When I was about halfway up, I glanced down and saw my littermates following me. Icekit was right underneath me, her paws moving quickly along the root. I purred; this _was _better than the Twolegplace. I may be without Rusty, but maybe I could make it out here. Just _maybe. _

Suddenly the root stopped.

_This can't be the end, the fun has just begun! _

I slowly removed my eyes from my paws, to in front of me. The root hadn't ended; it had gone outside the tree. Right in front of me was a gaping hole in which the root had grown out of and expanded into a flat ledge.

I smiled; I knew there was something else! I stepped out onto the ledge, and sat down, feeling as if life actually wasn't so bad.

_But I'll still never forget you, Rusty, _I promised silently.

For a few moments, I sat there in the Noon-day sun, watching the forest below. I was very high up, and I felt as if I could see everything. I could see all of the trees, the birds, the squirrels, and something else.

At first I didn't recognize it. But then I realized that the strange object that I was staring at was Twolegplace. It felt funny that the place was already so foreign when I had only left it this morning.

Then I noticed a black line behind all of the nests. Suddenly I saw a creature that couldn't be anything but a Twoleg. It walked up to the entrance to the nest, and disappeared from view, probably going inside.

I sat, paralyzed with interest, waiting for the Twoleg to reappear.

And of course it did.

A few minutes later, the Twoleg reappeared, carrying something. I couldn't quite see it; it was hidden from view. Then the Twoleg turned, and I realized what it as holding. It was a small orange fur-ball, that couldn't be anything but a kitten.

"RUSTY!" I screamed. He was being taken away! He was going to be even farther away from me now! I knew that I would never see him again, but the one thing that kept me sane was that I knew that he was near.

But not anymore.

The Twoleg climbed inside some huge metal thing and it began to move away.

It raced away from me, pulling Rusty farther from me.

As the tears began to run down my face, I tried to hold onto the one thing that I had heard before Rusty had been put into the metal thing.

There had been a faint sound as if a kitten calling out, as if someone was calling out a name.

The name, "Snowkit!" had flown across the Twolegplace, the forest, and right into my ears. Rusty had made one last attempt to contact me, to let me know that he was still there.

But I knew that he wasn't. Rusty would be long gone by now.

_Goodbye…Goodbye, forever. _

Earthpaws Siblings

Part 2

What is that thing?

"Whoa!" I exclaimed as I appeared out onto a ledge. Icekit sat in front of me, next to Snowkit. Icekit seemed to be whispering to her.

"What's wrong?" I asked her. Snowkit burst into tears and ran back down the trunk.

"What did I say?" I asked.

Icekit sighed, "She saw Rusty."

"Oh," I mewed, "What does that mean?"

Icekit rolled her eyes, "Rusty was being taken away from him home."

"Oh," I said again.

"This is wicked!" It was Blackkit, who had just climbed to the top. I turned around.

"I know, right?" I asked him.

"Wow! Look at that!" Icekit exclaimed. She was looking off into the distance.

"Cool!" Blackkit exclaimed, catching sight of what she meant, "Wait, what is it?"

"I don't know," Icekit meowed. Her gaze was thoughtful.

"Let me see," I said, walking up to my siblings. Blackkit pointed with his tail to show me what they were talking about. Down in the middle of the forest, was a long, skinny shape. It looked like there was water rushing through it.

"What _is _that?" I asked, looking at my brother. Blackkit just shrugged.

"Icekit might have figured it out," was all he said. I looked over at my sister. She sat there, her eyes gazing at some far off place, her tail quivering slightly.

"Icekit?" I asked. Icekit jumped.

"What?" She asked.

"Do you know what it is?"

"No," She replied.

My shoulders sagged. I had really thought Icekit would know.

"But," My tail stood erect, "I think I've seen it before."

"What?" I turned around, it was Blackkit. "We've never been to the forest before."

"I know!" Icekit meowed, getting a little impatient. She stood up, lashing her tail a little. "Don't question my theories!"

"Okay, okay," I said, "Blackkit was only stating a fact."

"I'm sorry," Icekit said calming down. "It's just that, I think I've seen one of those things before. Not in real life, in a dream."

"Are you sure?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Positive," Icekit meowed. She began to pace back and forth, watching her paws as she moved. "Think. Think."

"Aha!" Suddenly Icekit stopped, lifted her head up, and exclaimed, "I know what it is!"

"What?"Blackkit and I asked at the exact same, something that we tend to do a lot.

"It's called a _river_," Icekit said, the new word sliding over her tongue.

"A river?" I asked, trying out the new word. "What does it do?"

"I-I-"

"It supplies water to animals, and provides a home for fish, and some insects, too," I jumped, and spun around. It was Earthpaw, he had made up to the top with us.

"Can we see it?" I asked.

"Well," Earthpaw hesitated for a moment, "alright. Bluetail said to _watch _you, and if you guys are at the river, then I have to watch you there."

"Yay!" Blackkit shouted, "We're going to see a real live river!"

"But, what about Snowkit?" Icekit asked.

"Here, let me go talk to her," Earthpaw meowed. He turned around, and began to climb down.

I hesitated for a moment, thinking. Then, I made up my mind; I quietly followed Earthpaw, and watched from a hidden spot above. Earthpaw's back was to me, and was crouched over my shaking sister. She didn't seem to be crying anymore, but still didn't seem like in any mood to talk.

"Snowkit?" He asked, "are you okay?" Snowkit shook her head. "Okay, do you want to talk about it?"

"Okay," Snowkit croaked. She sat up and looked up at Earthpaw.

"What happened?" Earthpaw asked. "Did you step on a splinter?" Snowkit shook her head.

"Well, then what happened?" Earthpaw asked. Snowkit cleared her throat.

"It's Rusty," Snowkit cried, her voice shaking a little, "He was taken _farther _away from me."

"Oh," Earthpaw's eyes were flooded with understanding.

"Why did this happen?" Snowkit asked, her voice now back to normal. Now that the shock had worn off, she just looked plain sad.

"Well, you see, when Kittypet kits get old enough, the Twolegs decide to give them a new home. They just can't take care of all those cats," Earthpaw shook his head as he said the last sentence.

"But, it's not fair!" Snowkit wailed. "Why can't the Twolegs just let them go into the forest?"

"Well, Twolegs have a different way of thinking. They think by giving the kits a new home, they can be safe, and a lot of Twolegs would like to live with a cat," Earthpaw meowed. Snowkit sniffled. Then she seemed to realize something.

"Is that why Bluetail made me come to forest?" She asked.

"Partially," Earthpaw said, nodding his head.

"What other reasons were there?" Snowkit asked.

"Well, I can't say," Earthpaw meowed.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know any other reasons, Snowkit. Now, do you want to come to the river with us?" Earthpaw asked.

"The _what _?" Snowkit asked.

"The river," Earthpaw repeated, "Its water."

"Oh," Snowkit meowed. The tears on her face were beginning to dry. She looked thoughtful for a moment, and then said, "Sure."

_Wow _, _they don't even know I'm here! I'd really expect-_

"Brokenkit," Earthpaw said suddenly, "Go and get Icekit and Blackkit."

I jumped.

"H-how?" I asked.

"Just go," Earthpaw sighed. I scampered up the root back to the top of the tree where Icekit and Blackkit were still sitting.

"Hey, guys, it's time to go," I told them. They turned their heads to look at me, nodded, and followed me back down.

"Okay, let's go," We followed Earthpaw through the hollow, past a sleeping Bluetail, and into the forest. Snowkit kept in pace with Earthpaw, and talked to him. I stayed behind with Icekit and Blackkit.

As we walked, Earthpaw watched the bushes for something. First he'd gaze to the right, and then sharply turn his head to left as if he expected something to attack us. This was starting to make me feel a little scared.

_What could he be watching for? _

As we walked on, I began to hear the sound of rushing water. 

_That's the river._

As we got closer, it began to get louder and louder. Next to me, Icekit's ears twitched; she could hear it too. Blackkit was beginning to walk faster in anticipation.

In front of me, Snowkit's tail quivered in excitement. The only one who didn't seem to be really excited was Earthpaw.

_He's probably been to the river lots of times._

Soon we rounded a corner, and there it was. It was big. It was beautiful. It was the river.

Earthpaw's siblings

Part 3

Mud, Splatting, and Fights; Oh My!

I gasped as it came into view. Churning and mixing, and flowing…

"Wow," I whispered.

Then the memory came back. Memories are how I seem to know about all of this stuff that my littermates don't. If I'm around something, even if I don't look at it or know it's there, I seem to remember it somehow.

What was strange was that I'd never even passed by a river. Never. Unless…

I turned around and saw Earthpaw sitting on the bank, gazing into the water. I padded up to him.

"Earthpaw?" I asked. He turned his blue gaze on me, "When you and Bluetail took us to Twolegplace a while ago, did we pass this river?"

He seemed thoughtful for a moment, then said, "Well…I don't think so. That was a while ago, Icekit. Why?"

"Oh, no reason. I was just wondering if I'd passed it before…," I replied, seeming to drift back to the memory.

In the memory, I was standing on a rocky outcrop, and cold air was buffeting my fur. I didn't shiver though, as if I was used to it. I was looking far out, and I could see more of the strange tall rocks.

_Mountains…_The word came into my head without me really knowing it. Suddenly, I was aware a gurgling noise next to me. I moved to the left, and looked down.

Rushing about a tail-length away from my paw was a narrow expanse of water.

_River…_This word came to me the same as the word, 'mountains,' had. The river rushed past me for about ten tail-lengths and then disappeared. I wanted to go and see where the river disappeared to, but I wasn't able to control where I went.

"Snow! Snow!" Someone was calling. I began to climb down a slope, and caught the faint outline of another cat coming closer before I was brought back to the present.

_So _that's _where I've seen a river…_

For some reason, when I was still on the ledge back a home, when I had tried to think of a word for the river, this memory had come to me.

A strange slurping noise and the sound of giggling made me turn around. Blackkit, along with Brokenkit and Snowkit were sitting in a shallow area of the river, farther upstream than Earthpaw was. I padded over to them, ready to feel the water, when I realized that they weren't sitting in water.

It was mud.

"Um, guys," I said, wrinkling my nose, "What're you doing?"

Only Snowkit looked up, "Oh, there you are, Icekit. You've _got _to see this!"

"See what?" I asked, trying to peer around Brokenkit.

"What're you doing? You won't be able to see from there! Come on in! You'd think the water's awful, but it's really nice," Snowkit coaxed.

"Snowkit, this, 'water,' you're talking about is really mud," I replied.

Snowkit frowned, "So? Come on in; it's not like it'll hurt you."

"Oh, but Snowkit, your fur!" I shrieked. Snowkit's white pelt was belly-deep in mud.

Snowkit looked down at her paws as Brokenkit and Blackkit giggled once again. Her gaze moved from herself, back to whatever Brokenkit was sitting in front of.

I sighed, making Snowkit look at me once again, "Oh, _come on, _Icekit! Don't be a sissy."

"Oh…_fine!" _I snapped, and looked down at the mud. I took a deep breath in, and lowered my paw down slowly.

_The mud's not that deep…Just keep your head up, you'll be fine._

Well, it turns out the mud _was _pretty deep.

When I expected my paw to touch the ground beneath the mud, it didn't. It wouldn't have too bad had I not already leaned forward. My paw sank down farther, and then down went the rest of me into the wet, sticky mud. After my paw went under came my head, and then I flipped over, landing on my back.

I sat up, spitting mud out of my mouth.

"Oh, Icekit! Icekit!" Snowkit came rushing over to me, looking worried, but also like she was about to laugh her head off. "Are you okay?" She said this with a small giggle.

"It's not funny!" I said, sitting up fully.

"Yes it is!" Brokenkit said, coming around to my other side. I scowled and stood up, shaking the mud off as best as I could. I turned around to see where Blackkit was still sitting, his eyes fixed on me.

"You okay?" He asked. I was shocked; there was absolutely no laughter in his voice at all.

"Yeah," I said quietly.

"So, do you still want to see?" Snowkit asked, coming around to her spot from before.

"Well, it's not like I can get any dirtier," I remarked a bit sourly.

"You sure about that?" Brokenkit challenged, getting ready to scoop up a glob of mud. Snowkit beat him to it.

"Cut it out, silly!" She said, pouncing on him.

"'ey! Cut it out yourself!" Brokenkit whined. Snowkit purred good naturedly, and leaped off.

Blackkit sighed, "Are we going to see this, or _not?" _

"Okay, Mr. Impatient!" I said, padding closer, "What is it?"

"Okay, now you're going to be so amazed at this," Blackkit stated. I rolled my eyes.

"Sure."

Blackkit didn't seem to see me roll my eyes, and instead gazed down into the mud. He moved his paw over until it was exactly in between us, and then began to slowly pull it upward. As soon as he paw broke the surface, a huge splatting, gloshing noise erupted out of the air bubble that had been formed.

I shrank back, "_EW! _How is that cool?"

"Because it's _hilarious!" _Brokenkit said, who had stood up, and was trying to shake the mud out of his pelt.

"Yeah," Snowkit added, "Don't you think so?"

"Well, it _is _strange, I'll give you that, but how is it funny?" I asked.

"Well…" Snowkit thought, "I'm not sure. It's just the sounds, I guess. It sounds funny!"

"It _is _weird noise," I said, "But it was made with _mud, o_ne of the most _disgusting _substances known. There's no way that I could find something like that _funny." _

"You know, the only way to have fun with it, is to actually _play _in it," Brokenkit said slyly. I looked at him.

"Oh, no," I mewed, "There is _no _way-"

"Well sure there is," Blackkit said, the same sly look creeping into his eyes. The two toms began to creep closer. Snowkit looked at them.

"Oh, come on guys," She mewed, "She didn't even want to step in the mud in the first place; don't make her _play _in it now."  
>"No, I think their right," I said calmly. Snowkit looked at me in disbelief.<p>

"What?"

"Yeah; they're right. I _should _play in it," I said, coming up with a great idea. I stepped back a little, and slowly dropped my tail down into the mud.

"Oh," Snowkit said, seeing my movement. She too lowered her tail. I looked to her, and nodded.

We both lifted our mud-covered tails into the air, flinging the mud towards our brothers.

As the mud hit their faces, they both yowled in disbelief.

"Hey!" Brokenkit called out, "No fair!"

"Let's get 'em!" Blackkit yowled, dipping his tail into the mud. Brokenkit did too. I stiffened, waiting for the attack. Right as their tails came up, I ducked down and avoided the mud. But Snowkit, who was now behind me, wasn't so lucky.

Snowkit gasped as the mud dripped down her face. I expected her to turn and run, but instead she shot a mud-ball straight back at the toms.

The mud-ball shot straight through the air, landing on Brokenkit's back. He squealed in shock, then shot one back at us.

By then we were all throwing mud-balls left and right, and I couldn't even tell where they were coming from or where they were going.

At first, I dodged the mud the best I could, but soon, I just gave in and let myself get battered with it. I didn't care anymore; everyone was getting dirty, so why wouldn't I?

Suddenly, I found myself laughing my head off. I don't know where it had come from; I just started laughing and wasn't able to stop. I suddenly fell down onto my back, still laughing. I didn't even care that I was lying in mud. Then it seemed to spread; suddenly Brokenkit tumbled down into the mud too, laughing his head off. Then Snowkit fell down, laughing for all she was worth.

For a moment, Blackkit just stared at us like we were psychos, but then a gleam of laughter crept onto  
>is face. He soon was rolling in the mud with us, laughing lauder than the rest of us.<p>

"What the heck is going on?" Earthpaw was at the shore now, looking like he had missed something important.

None of us could reply; we were too busy laughing. For a moment, Earthpaw looked worried, but then he laughed a little.

"You guys are crazy," He mewed affectionately.

"We know," Brokenkit was able to get out.

Finally, sides splitting, I was able to stop laughing. I lay next to Brokenkit and Snowkit, looking up at the clouds through the trees. Snowkit yawned.

"Sleepy?" I asked, yawning myself.

She nodded, "Should we go home?"  
>"No way!" Brokenkit said, taking his turn to yawn, "We have to stay here…forever."<p>

We waited for Blackkit to add something, like he usually did, but instead there was a terrified shriek. I scampered to my paws, and so did Snowkit and Brokenkit. When Brokenkit tried to stand up, his paws slipped in the mud, and he went back down, face-first. Snowkit giggled.

"Silly, Brokenkit," She mewed, but then looked around for the cat that had called out.

"It's Blackkit!"I cried. I could see his shape moving down the river. He'd been washed away into the current! Snowkit and Brokenkit tried to move into the current and follow him in the water, but I knew that that was no use.

Feeling alarmed, I raced out of the mud area, and leaped back onto the ground, where I actually had footing and was able to move faster. I raced past Earthpaw, and down the shore, following my brother, hoping I could catch up. As I ran, I could hear the thundering of paws behind me. I turned my head around for a second, and saw Earthpaw padding after me, a worried look in his blue eyes. I turned my head back around, but at the last second.

Right as I turned around my eyes caught sight of a huge boulder arching out of the ground. I would've stopped, but I was already too close. I tried to stop, but instead went tumbling toward the rocking, tripping, and flipping tail-over-ears. I called out in fear, and landed on my back.

After the shock had worn off, I stood up to Earthpaw standing a few feet away, near the shore. He was staring at Blackkit's squirming shape, moving away. Suddenly I saw him flex his paws and suddenly a huge rock suddenly broken the surface of the water, lifting Blackkit into the air. I silent gasped; how was that even possible? As the rock moved over, Earthpaw's gaze followed it, seeming almost to be controlling the rock. As soon as the rock was over the shore, it lowered, and Blackkit slid off. The rock dropped straight back into the water, as if had never even been there.

Earthpaw sat down, shaking and panting. I didn't understand why he seemed so tired all of a sudden, but I shook it off; Blackkit needed help! As I raced past Earthpaw I could hear him muttering, "Ah, that was too much, Earthpaw! Why couldn't you have just gone with a simple ground lift?"

_What is he _talking _about? _I wondered. I wanted to shake this off too, but I just couldn't; something was up with Earthpaw.

"Blackkit?" I asked.

"Is he okay?" It was Brokenkit. He and Snowkit had padded in from the river, tails flying.

"I don't know!" I exclaimed worriedly.

"Just let me see, Icekit," It was Earthpaw, who seemed to have recovered from his strange tiredness. Snowkit and Brokenkit stepped aside, and Earthpaw padded closer.

He bent down, and held his ear closer to Blackkit's chest. "Still a heart beat…" he murmured, "But he's not breathing…" Earthpaw stood up, his eyes now worried. Then the usual gleam returned, and Earthpaw gently pressed his front paws on Blackkit's chest.

Blackkit coughed and a lot of water spilled out of his mouth. He looked around warily.

"Wha-what happened?" He croaked.

"You got carried away in the current," Earthpaw said calmly.

Blackkit looked up at Earthpaw, "What? I-I don't- Oh, I did…How'd you get me out?"

"I'm not exactly sure," I replied, "but I think Earthpaw-"

Earthpaw cleared his throat, "I got you out. That's all that happened." Earthpaw looked at me, and for the first time ever, I saw a slight iciness in his eyes. I shrank back.

Suddenly the ice in his eyes was gone. He looked back at Blackkit, "Do you feel okay?"

He nodded slowly.

"Okay, then we should probably get back home before Bluetail's head explodes from worry," Earthpaw mewed.

Snowkit giggled. "Explode…," she murmured, "funny."

I fell into line with Snowkit and Brokenkit, ready to leave.

"Blackkit, are you coming?" Brokenkit asked.

Blackkit was silent for a moment. "But-but, why do we have to leave _now?" _

"Blackkit, you could've gotten seriously injured," Earthpaw told him sternly, "I don't think it's a good idea to stay out here any longer. We need to get you back to get some rest."

"But I want to stay here!" Blackkit mewed, "We were just beginning to have fun! You can't make us leave in the middle of the fun!"

I thought that this was going to make Earthpaw blow his top, but Earthpaw was still calm. "Blackkit, let's go. We'll get another chance to come back."

Blackkit sighed, "Fine."

Earthpaw began to lead the way back home. Blackkit padded next to me, looking low-spirited.

"Blackkit," I mewed, "It's okay. It's not like you were going to die or anything."

"It's not that, Icekit, it's that it's _my _fault for ruining our fun," Blackkit replied.

"But-"

"No, that's enough," The sadness was gone from his eyes, and was now replaced with fury. "It was _my _fault, and now we have to go home when we were having so much fun."

I stared at him in silence for a moment, and then left him to his own thoughts.

_Why is so angry all of a sudden? _

All of a sudden, I saw a strange light glow in Blackkit's eyes. They almost changed from their usual blue to a dark stormy gray. Right as I saw the light, the bright sky was covered with dark rain clouds.

_What is going on with my brothers? _

Earthpaw's Siblings

Part 4

The Storm, the Snow, the Fox, and the Flame

I grumbled again. I felt so…_weird. _It was like there was water running through my body or something. I didn't understand why; this had never happened before. It wasn't as if the feeling was uncomfortable or anything, but it made the whole day just a little worse. My thoughts drifted back to what had happened at the river.

_I can't believe myself! We _finally _get to go and do something and then I have to go and ruin it! _

SPLAT!

An icy raindrop landed on my nose. I shook it off, and sneezed.

"What in the world?" Brokenkit asked, looking up at the sky. "The sky was clear when we were on our way to the river!"

"Well, that's weather for ya'," Earthpaw replied, "It's unpredictable."The sudden rain didn't seem unusual to him, but I thought for a split second I had felt his gaze on me.

_What did I do?_

As we walked, I had a crazy idea. And I mean _really _crazy; like ridiculously crazy.

_Did _I _make it rain? _

_I guess I _could _have done it…But that's crazy! That's not even possible! _I shook my head, brushing off the matter.

The sky was darkening when we made it back to the hollow. Also, to Earthpaw's relief, Bluetail was already asleep. He probably hadn't noticed we were even gone.

Snowkit snorted and muttered something like, "Doesn't surprise me."

Earthpaw led us to our den, and made sure we were all settled down in our nests.

"Sleep well, kits," Earthpaw murmured.

"Goodnight," I called as he turned to go back to his den.

I closed my eyes, and tried to fall asleep, but something kept from it. I'm not sure if it was the strange forest noises, or the thought of me actually able to make it rain. I wanted to tell myself that to control the rain was impossible, but somehow I just couldn't bring myself to think that.

I sighed and told myself that I could worry about it tomorrow, and listened to the murmur of the rain. Just as I was about to drift of, an irritated yowl screeched out.

"Okay, that's just _IT!" _ I heard Snowkit say.

I groaned, "What? Can't you let us sleep?"

"How can you? There's so much _noise!" _Snowkit snapped.

"Calm down, Snowkit, it's just rain. You'll get used to the noise," Icekit replied.

"Yeah, but not tonight!" Brokenkit complained, "It's so loud here! How can anything sleep with the pounding of the rain?"

"What?" I opened my eyes, "The rain _bothers _you?"

They all looked at me.

"Well, _duh!" _Snowkit said.

"Of course it does!" Icekit replied.

"Yes, yes it _does," _Brokenkit said, irritated.

"Not to mention…," Snowkit muttered, "This mud _itches!" _

" You can have Earthpaw help you was it off tomorrow," I said, but then went back to the subject of the rain, "How does the rain _bother_ you? It blocks out the sounds of the other animals," I replied, "Just let the sound of it lull you to sleep."

There was silence again as they all stared at me.

"Okay, just because it blocks out _other _noises doesn't mean that the rain itself isn't a noise!" Snowkit snapped. "And I'mitchy _now!" _

"Wait, you think it's _soothing?" _Icekit asked, "How?"

"I just like the sound of the water," I told her.

This time, instead of staring at me like I was a featherless bird, Icekit nodded.

"It makes sense," She said.

"So Blackkit can get to sleep," Brokenkit mewed, "Great. Now what about us?"

There was a small chuckle at the entrance to the den. I flipped around, and there was Earthpaw. He padded in, dripping wet, but he didn't seem to mind.

"I thought you might have trouble sleeping," he said, sitting down. "The forest is really noisy compared to the quiet Twoleg nest you are used to."

Icekit nodded, while Snowkit flicked her tail as if saying, "duh!" I yawned, wishing that I could just go to sleep; it wasn't as if _I _was having trouble sleeping!

"So how do we fall asleep?" Brokenkit asked.

"Well, it'd help if you were _lying down," _Earthpaw mewed.

We all lied back down without a sound.

"Now what?" Snowkit asked after a moment.

"Now, I'll tell you a story," Earthpaw said quietly.

"Oh, what about?" Icekit asked excitedly.

"How about a story about Bluetail and Snowy?" Earthpaw suggested.

"Who's Snowy?"I asked.

Earthpaw looked surprised, "Our mom."

"Our _mom?" _Snowkit asked, who seemed to have forgotten the mud completely, "You mean, like Rusty, Princess and Tiny's mom?"

Earthpaw laughed, "Sort of. Except Star isn't your mom, she's Rusty's."

"Oh," Snowkit said, "So what's the story about?"

"Well, if I told you, it wouldn't be as exciting, would it?" Earthpaw mewed. "Just let me tell it, and you'll see. So, long ago, well, I guess not _that _long ago, Bluetail used to live in a clan."

"What's a clan?" Brokenkit asked.

"It's a group of cats that live together. They support each other, and live by a special code that tells them how to live," Earthpaw explained. Before anyone could ask anything else, he continued. "The clan was called Thunderclan. He had lived there his whole life, with his two sisters Snowfur and Bluefur. But not that long ago, Snowfur had had an accident on the Thunderpath-"

"What's a Thunderpath?" Brokenkit interrupted.

Earthpaw gave him a tired look, "It's a Twoleg-thing. They use it to get around in Monsters." Brokenkit opened his jaws to ask another question, but Earthpaw continued on quickly. "A monster is a huge metal thing Twolegs ride in. So, Snowfur had an accident on it, and had been killed."

Snowkit and Icekit gasped, but still listened intently.

"Soon after, Bluefur was made deputy, and later leader. There were some other details, but that'd take too long to tell you about. So, Snowfur had her place in Starclan, and Bluestar had her place as leader. But where did Bluetail belong? He didn't feel like he belonged in Thunderclan; he was clumsy, hated working, and some cats didn't like him that much."

"That sounds awful," Icekit murmured.

"So what did he do?" I asked.

"Well, one day, Bluetail was sent to go hunting. He left camp alone, and trekked to a spot near Twolegplace. Now, remember how I said he didn't like to do work?"

We all nodded.

"So do you think that he hunted all that he could?"

We all shook our heads together.

"That's right. He just wandered along the fence of Twolegplace, talking to himself," Earthpaw went on. "When suddenly, there was a voice from above. Bluetail looked up, and there was a white she-cat sitting on top of the fence."

"Was she from another clan?" Brokenkit wondered aloud.

Earthpaw shook his head, "No, she was a Kittypet."

"A Kittypet?" the rest of us asked together.

"Yep, a Kittypet. Her name was Snowy. She jumped down from the fence, and she and Bluetail began to talk. They met again that night, and then every day after that. One night as they met, Snowy talked about running away from her Twolegs. She said that she was scared to run away, but she cared about Bluetail more. She was willing to face her fears to be with him."

"Wow," I breathed, "That's some sacrifice."

Earthpaw nodded, and continued, "At first, Bluetail thought that she meant she would come to Thunderclan. But Snowy really meant that she wanted to travel to the wilderness. But the thing was, she wanted Bluetail to come with her.

"Of course, Bluetail accepted. He had begun to like Snowy, even like her a lot. And seeing that he didn't exactly fit in with Thunderclan, he decided he was best. He left without saying goodbye.

"So, they traveled a long way. Soon, they found this exact hollow, and Tigerpaw and I were born. They had a good life together, and were great parents. Snowy gave the gentleness and patience both Tigerpaw and I needed, and she always seemed to understand us."

"What about Bluetail?" I asked.

"Well, Bluetail's a good dad," Earthpaw replied, "But I think it's time this story came to an end." He beckoned behind me. I turned my head around, and saw Snowkit, Icekit, and Brokenkit, all fast asleep.

"Oh, okay," I mewed, yawning.

"Can you fall asleep okay?" Earthpaw asked. I nodded. "Okay, sleep well, Blackkit." He backed out of the den.  
>"Goodnight," I murmured, and settled down to sleep.<p>

When I opened my eyes, it was morning. I quietly padded out of the den, and saw Bluetail eating a vole. I padded closer, the scent of fresh-kill dragging me onward. As I padded closer, my eyes caught sight of the sky. The rain had stopped, but the sky was still cloudy. I noticed with a pang of fear that I wasn't so gloomy either. I didn't have much time to ponder this; I was right next to Bluetail.

"Hi," I greeted.

"Good morning," Bluetail replied, turning to see me. "You're the first one up. Even Earthpaw's still asleep."

"And Tigerpaw?" I asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, he's still asleep," Bluetail mewed. I stared at the vole at Bluetail's paws. I licked my chops, wondering what it tasted like. Bluetail shot a look at his paws, and then back at me.

"Do you want to try some fresh-kill?" Bluetail asked.

"Really?" I asked.

Bluetail nodded, "What else can you eat? No more milk here."

I laughed, "Yeah. What should I try?"

Bluetail thought for a moment. "Whatever you want to, but I suggest a mouse. That was what I first tried when I was a kit."

"Okay," I mewed, purring; it was so exciting to eat my first prey! Bluetail nodded, and purred back. He began to dig, looking for a mouse. As he dug, I imagined Bluetail as a kit, looking with round eyes at a mouse sitting in front of his paws. His two sisters sat next to him, staring with eyes just as big as Bluetail's.

"Here you go, Blackkit," Bluetail set a mouse down at my paws. "Enjoy." He sat down a few feet away, and licked his paw, watching me from the corner of his eye.

My eyes drifted back to the mouse. I stared at it for a moment, then reached down and took a small bite. I chewed for a moment, and that's when everything went weird.

I swallowed, and then my tail started vibrating like crazy. I sat for a moment, confused. Was this normal when you tried your first bite of prey? I shrugged, hoping it was. I took another bite, and then my tail started vibrating faster, and my paws joined in.

_What's going on? _

I looked to Bluetail to see if he knew what to do, but he was too busy grooming himself that he didn't even notice me.

_Should I eat more? It's pretty good…and maybe this is normal. _

I took another bite, and the vibrating grew stronger still. I wanted to call out, but what if it was only normal and I was freaking out from nothing?

I pushed myself to finish the whole mouse.

By the time I was done, I felt like I was going to explode. I was buzzing so fast and hard I thought that I would be lifting off of the ground soon.

Suddenly, there was a zap in the sky, and a bolt of lightning flew right onto a dead tree, lighting it on fire.

Bluetail jumped up the same time I did, except _he _waeyes screaming.

"What in the world!" Bluetail screeched, rushing over to the tree. I followed.

I closed my eyes, begging that if I was able to make it rain, it would pour down now.

Nothing happened.

I opened my eyes, and then everything was silent. It was as if something was clogged in my ears, shutting everything else out. I thought that I had suddenly gone deaf, but then there was a noise.

"Flame and Storm shall soon rise, to train to be faithful fighters. Snow and Fox will see through new eyes, seeing the flaming and the flying."

The fire spoke in a metallic voice, like nothing I'd ever heard before. I stepped back, and a strange ringing started in my ears. Bluetail was standing in front of me, saying something, but I couldn't hear it with the ringing blocking it. Suddenly the fire disappeared, and the ringing stopped.

"Blackkit! Can you hear me?" Bluetail was still looking frazzled.

"Yes," I replied calmly, "Of course I can."

"Then why didn't you reply before?" He asked.

"Huh?" _Should I tell him about the weird voice? _He _clearly didn't hear it… _I decided not to; Bluetail wouldn't understand. _The best place to go would be to Earthpaw. _"I- uh…just was busy staring at the fire. Sorry."

"Oh," Bluetail looked relieved for a split second, but then his eyes flashed with worry, and he spun around. His fur lied flat once he saw that the fire was gone. "Wha-"

"Maybe the wind blew it out," I suggested.

Bluetail turned around. "Maybe." His eyes drifted to the remains of the mouse behind me. His expression quickly changed from confused to impressed. "Did you eat that whole mouse?"

I nodded, "Yeah."

"Wow, I wasn't able to eat a whole mouse when I was your age," Bluetail remembered. "Then again, Bluestar and Snowfur had to share it with me, so there wasn't exactly a chance." He sighed longingly, "I can't wait for us to go back."

"We're going to Thunderclan?" I asked. I knew that we were going to be apprentices, but somehow I never pictured us going to the place where Bluetail was born.

Bluetail nodded, "Of course. I didn't give you a clan name for no reason."

I nodded, "Oh, and about the tree…Let's not mention it to anyone, okay?"

"Alright," Bluetail agreed. Then he shook his head in wonder. "I really don't know what happened to make it catch on fire."

"Well, maybe the lightning," I suggested. _Please tell me he saw the lightning! _

Bluetail looked straight at me, "There was lightning?"

_Guess not…_"Yeah," I replied, "but it was moving pretty fast. I think your back was turned at the time."

Bluetail relaxed, "Oh, okay." He looked at the ground. "That's never happened before, though. Lighting striking a tree, I mean; not the fact that my back was turned when something important happened." He looked at little regretful then, but I didn't get much of a chance to ask why. "Well, not that we don't have a lot of food, but I think that I'll go hunting…" He turned, and was gone before I could say goodbye.

"Brokenkit!" I turned around to see my littermates appearing out of the den. Brokenkit was jumping on top of Snowkit, an amused expression on his face. "Knock it off!"

"Then admit that I'm not a mouse!" Brokenkit retorted.

"Okay, okay, you're not a mouse," Snowkit said irritably. Brokenkit jumped off of Snowkit, who sniffed and started talking with Icekit about how annoying brothers were. Brokenkit met eyes with me, and padded over.

"Hey," He greeted.

"Hi."

His eyes drifted to the remains of the mouse, a few feet away. "You got to eat fresh-kill?" A jealous look appeared on his face.

"Yes," I said, my mind drifting back to the lightning and the weird voices. "Um, but Bluetail went hunting, so you'll probably have to wait until he gets back before you eat some."

Brokenkit nodded. "Okay. So do you wanna' play Moss-ball or something until he gets back?"

_ Darn! That sounds fun, but I need to sort out the whole lightning thing. _"Sorry, I need to talk to Earthpaw about something."

Brokenkit didn't look the least bit disappointed. "Okay, I'll see if Icekit and Snowkit want to play. You can join in when you're done."

I nodded. "Okay, have fun." I watched Brokenkit pad away, and the headed to Earthpaw and Tigerpaw's den.

As I drew nearer, I discovered that Tigerpaw and Earthpaw were asleep. Tigerpaw must have heard my paw-steps, because his amber eyes flew open when I got closer.

"Hi," I said. Tigerpaw ignored my greeting.

"What do you want?" He snapped.

"Um, I came to talk to Earthpaw," I answered, taken aback by his sourness.

"Well, he's asleep, so go away," Tigerpaw said in the same sour tone.

"Why is he still asleep?" I asked, trying to ignore his tone.

"He usually sleeps a little longer, because he goes and sneaks off during the night," Tigerpaw replied. I realized that the sourness in his tone was gone, and was replaced by smugness.

"He does?" I asked, slightly exasperated. I didn't think of all cats that _Earthpaw _would be one to sneak away during the night. Then I remembered the story.

"Well, he came and told us a story last night," I said, hoping that that was the reason.

Tigerpaw shook his head, "I was just getting back when he came from your den."

"Oh," I replied, shocked. How could Earthpaw _sneak away? _ _I'll ask him about that later. _

Tigerpaw nodded, "Shocking, right? Who'd have thought perfect 'wittle Earthpaw would be so _bad." _He laughed at his lame joke, then added, "He thinks I don't know, but I do.

As if right on cue, Earthpaw rolled over, and opened his eyes sleepily.

"Hi," He blinked.

"Good morning," I said. "Did you get enough sleep last night after that story?"

Earthpaw nodded, "Yep, since Bluetail let me sleep in." He sat up and looked around. "So, is anything wrong?"

"Oh, yeah," I remembered, "there's something that I needed to tell you."

Earthpaw looked concerned, while Tigerpaw asked, "What?"

"Well, actually I was only planning to tell Earthpaw," I replied.

Tigerpaw rolled his eyes, "Of _course. _That's all anyone wants to talk to." Tigerpaw snorted, and left the den, and then the hollow.

Guilt swelled in my stomach, "What'd I do?"

"Don't feel bad," Earthpaw coaxed. "Tigerpaw just acts that way. Now, come this way. I have a place more…private to talk."

"Okay," I said, and followed him out of the hollow. We turned to the left, and I realized we were circling to the back of the hollow.

Earthpaw led me to a slope that I recognized as the same slope that borders the hollow. We stopped about halfway along the slope, and Earthpaw tentatively looked around. For a split second, I saw a worried look that Bluetail often wore, but it was gone as fast as it had appeared.

"Okay, in here," Earthpaw whispered, and he seemed to disappear into the wall.

For a moment, I stood awe-struck; Earthpaw had disappeared into the wall! But when I looked past the vines that grew on the wall, I discovered an open tunnel. I relaxed; he had only gone down the tunnel. I took a tentative sniff before venturing inside. It smelled safe; no unknown animals, just the familiar scent of my older brother.

I took a deep breath to calm myself, and sprang inside. Soon the daylight from behind me disappeared, and I was tunneling through pitch black darkness.

_What if there're two different ways to go, and I don't see them? I might end up going the wrong way!_

But the tunnel stayed straight and simple. I could feel both walls of the tunnel brushing against my sides from time to time, so I knew that if I just kept going straight, I'd make it to Earthpaw.

Suddenly, there was a light ahead. This didn't make sense! Since when was there light _underground? _I shrugged it off; lots of weird things had been happening lately.

The light grew brighter, and soon the tunnel opened up into an underground den.

"Whoa!" I said, and my voice echoed on the walls a little.

"Glad you like it," I whipped around, and there was Earthpaw, sitting calmly.

"Oh, hi," I said.

"Hi," Earthpaw mewed. "So, what's the problem, Blackkit?" His eyes were filled with concern.

"Well, some strange things-" My gaze drifted to the corner of the den, where a small ball of fire was sitting. Earthpaw looked at it.

"That's just my light source," Earthpaw assured, "it's a piece of the core of the Earth."

"How'd you get it?" I asked, completely forgetting the subject at paw.

"That doesn't matter," Earthpaw replied. "Just tell me what's been happening that's so strange."

"Well," I said, remembering why I was here, "yesterday, on our way home, I was really upset. When I got upset, I got this weird feeling inside of me, and then it started raining."

Earthpaw's eyes widened, "Okay, anything else?"

I nodded, "Today, I tried my first piece of fresh-kill, and when I did, I started vibrating. Like, I mean _really _fast and crazy. I thought it was normal, and kept eating. When I was done…" I paused. _What will he say when I tell him?_

"Yes?" Earthpaw asked. "Go ahead."

I swallowed. "Well, then…there was lightning, "I said quietly. "It struck a tree nearby, and when I walked up to it, there was this weird voice."

"Oh-kay…" Earthpaw said, looking a little bewildered. "I _was _going to say that you shouldn't worry about it, but if you heard voices…."

"Is something wrong with me?" I spilled out suddenly.

Earthpaw shook his head, "Of _course _not. There's nothing wrong with you. Now, tell me. What did these voices say?"

"Ummm…," I thought, "Something about Flame and Storm fighting or something, and then Snow and Fox seeing through new eyes…"

"Hmm…" Earthpaw said. He paced back and forth across the den. Suddenly he stopped, and turned sharply to look me straight in the eye. "Blackkit, are you wondering why I have a piece of the core in this den?"

I nodded.

"Okay, well the reason I have it here is because I need it to stay warm. I was able to get it because I can dig through the Earth in a super-natural way."

I started wondering how a conversation about me turned into one about him.

"I was able to _go _to the center of the Earth," Earthpaw explained, "and _get _it."

"But, wouldn't you burn up?"

He shook his head, "No."

"Why not?"

"Blackkit, I'm not a normal cat."

I stared at Earthpaw. What was he talking about? Of course he was! He _looked _like a normal cat, at least. "What do you mean, exactly?"

"I have…special abilities, you could say," Earthpaw replied, looking at the ground. He kept staring down for a moment, but then he looked up. "The best way to tell you, is to tell you a story." He sat down. "When I was about your age, three moons old, I had a weird dream. There was this cat that I'd never seen before, and she told me something weird."

"What'd she tell you?" I asked.

"It didn't make much sense to me," Earthpaw explained. "She said something along the lines of, 'Earth shall turn to mud, then to flame, and then to snow.' Then she said something about a fox… I don't remember the whole thing, but you get the idea." He sat staring at me for a moment. "Blackkit, do you know what that was?"  
>I shook my head, "No idea, but it sounds like the thing that the tree said today."<p>

Earthpaw nodded, "It's _exactly _like what the tree did. It was a prophecy."

"Uh…what's that?"

"It's a message from Starclan. It tells you something that you're going to do," Earthpaw replied. "It's something really important, because it basically maps out your whole life."

"If it's so important, then why does it have to be all confusing?" I asked.

"Because it only _seems _confusing at the time. When all the bits and pieces fit together, then it seems simpler," Earthpaw explained.

"Oh," Then I realized something. "Earthpaw, in both of our prophecies, it mentioned Flame, Snow, and Fox."

"Yes," Earthpaw nodded.

"So what if our prophecies had something to do with each other?" I asked.

"That's what I thought," Earthpaw mewed, "And since it didn't say 'a flame,' or 'a fox,' that means that they must be cats."

"But what about the earth turning to mud?" I asked, "Is the world going to end?"

"Remember, Blackkit, it said 'earth will turn to mud,' not '_the _earth will turn to mud,'" Earthpaw mewed gently.

"So Earth and Mud are cats?" I asked.

"Most likely," Earthpaw mewed.

"Well, your _name _is _Earth_paw," I said.

"Yes, that's what I thought," Earthpaw said, nodding, "but who is Mud?"

"Well, in my prophecy it mentioned Storm," I said. "But in yours it mentioned Mud..."

"I think that they're the same cat," There was a twinkle in his eye.

"You know who it is?" I asked, excitement rising inside of me.

Earthpaw nodded, "I think so. Now, tell me Blackkit, yesterday before it started to rain, did you feel as if water was rushing through your veins?"

I nodded, "Yeah, I said that."

"Okay, and before the lightning struck, did you feel," He paused, seeming to search for the right word, "well, like you made it happen?"

"Yeah, and then came the prop-"

"Blackkit, you have powers." Earthpaw interrupted, "And _you _are Storm and Mud. By 'Earth will turn to Mud,' it means that you, Mud, or Storm will join me in my prophecy."

I stared at him. _This is the weirdest day ever. _

"But…how can you tell?"

"Because, before the rain, the water through your veins…that's what it feels like when your powers first start working. It's only a little thing at first, like a rock breaking the surface of the water, or a tiny rainstorm. But then later, when you do something that triggers emotions, like your first fresh-kill, then something bigger happens," Earthpaw explained.

"But-but…that's impossible! We can't have powers!" I exclaimed.

"You wanna' try me?" Earthpaw challenged playfully. He did a side flip, and suddenly a rock appeared right under his paws where he landed. "I have a _piece of the core of the earth in my DEN! _You've gotta' believe me! I actually _dug _down there!"

I stared at him, "But-"

"Blackkit, I just gave you plain proof," Earthpaw sighed. "And you still don't believe me?"

"Well, I believe that _you _have powers, but I…" I trailed off.

"Blackkit, we both have received prophecies, and both made something out of the ordinary happen," Earthpaw mewed. "-You- -have- -powers-. I know it's hard to accept, but…" a sly look appeared on his face. "Think about rain."

"What?"

"Just do it."

"Okay…" I thought about the dark clouds from yesterday, and the rain that had poured down.

"Ack!" Earthpaw jumped off of his rock. I almost jumped back in shock; he was wet!

"What- what happened?" I asked.

"You made it rain in here," Earthpaw replied, "See?" His eyes drifted upward.

When I looked up, there was a dark storm cloud along the ceiling of the den, pouring down light rain-drops on top of us.

"_I _did that?"

Earthpaw nodded. He looked proud, but then suddenly a look of fear appeared on his face. "Oh no…"

"What?"

"Make it stop raining, Blackkit, make it stop!"

"Bu- but I don't know how!"

"Just think of something dry!" Earthpaw screeched.

I closed my eyes, and tried thinking of a dry nest, or a plain dry rock. I took a deep breath in, and tried to relax, but when I opened my eyes it was still pouring down on top of us. I noticed with fear that the water was over my paws.

"Why isn't it draining out of here?" I asked.

"I put a special earth-seal on it, so the ground would preserve the heat," Earthpaw called over the sound of the water. "Now, let's get out of here! Follow the light from the tunnel!"

I ran to the tunnel, and made my way out as quickly as possible.

"That-was-awful-," I panted once both Earthpaw and I were out of the den.

Earthpaw nodded, "But you still need to make it stop raining. It might be easier out here, since it's already dry."

"But, Earthpaw, it didn't work! I can't control my own power! I thought as hard as I could, and it didn't work!"

"Shh, Blackkit, calm down. It's not that big of a deal," Earthpaw mewed, padding closer. "It's okay if it's hard; you _just _found out that you have powers. It takes a _lot _of practice and a lot of patience as well. Now, first you need to _calm down. _Take a slow, deep breath."

I breathed in slowly, and let it out just as slow. "Okay."

"Okay, now, close your eyes," Earthpaw instructed slowly.

Still breathing slowly, I let my eyelids relax.

"Now I want you to think of a warm, sunny, relaxing afternoon. Nothing's going on, there's just the warm sun above, making you relax," Earthpaw mewed calmly.

I thought about the warm sun, and a nice relaxing nap in it. Then the feeling of water rushing through me came back, but this time much slower. After it was gone, I opened my eyes.

"It stopped," I said quietly.

Earthpaw purred, "You did it!"

I purred back, "Yeah! I did!" Then I remembered where we had just escaped; Earthpaw's strange den. "Is that den where you sneak off to during the night?"

Earthpaw's gaze turned serious. "Did you see me leave last night? I thought you said you would sleep fine by yourself."

"Oh, I slept fine. I fell asleep right after you left," I replied.

Earthpaw stared intently at me for a moment, then a look of realization flash across his face. "Tigerpaw."

"How'd you know he told me?" I asked, standing up.

Earthpaw scoffed, "Tigerpaw thinks that he's _so _cool, just for knowing one _ridiculous _fact about me!" He started pacing in circles. "He thinks he'll get me in trouble_ just_ becausehe knows I sneak away during the night! But you know what? I _have _to! I don't have a choice. I'll _freeze _if I don't go to this den." He seemed to be talking to someone other than me.

I stepped back awkwardly, "Um, Earthpaw?"

Suddenly he was back to the normal Earthpaw I knew. "Oh, sorry, Blackkit…Got a little carried away there…" A twinkle appeared in his eyes, "Now, let's get some practice in. We've got a destiny to fulfill."

… … … … … … … … … … … …

My stomach growled, "Can't Bluetail come back _any _sooner?"

Brokenkit and Icekit paused their game of Moss-Ball, making the ball, mid-toss, land on Brokenkit's head.

"Ow!" He called out.

Icekit giggled, "You have to keep your eye on the ball."

Brokenkit stared at her defiantly, "I _was, _but _Snowkit _distracted me!"

I shrugged, "Sorry, I'm just hungry!"

"We could find some fresh-kill ourselves." Icekit mewed, "There's got to be some buried _somewhere." _

"Okay," Brokenkit agreed, "I'm hungry too."

Icekit sniffed the air, "I think there's _squirrel _buried somewhere nearby." She took a few steps forward, and stopped suddenly. "Found it."

She dug into the earth, and soon pulled a squirrel out of the hole. "Ooh, it smells pretty fresh, too."

"I want it!" Brokenkit hollered. He jumped, and grabbed the squirrel out of Icekit's jaws as he passed her.

"Hey! I wanted that! I found it!" Icekit called.

Brokenkit shrugged, "Well, it's mine now." He took a bite.

Icekit scowled, and sniffed the air again.

… … …

I took a bite into the mouse Icekit had found for me. She sat a few feet away, with a vole.

_Bleh! _

The mouse was okay, but nothing like I'd hoped it would be. I sighed, and took another bite.

_Why isn't this what I wanted it to be? _

I forced myself to eat the whole things. Had I not been so hungry, I probably would've given it to Brokenkit, who had stuffed his squirrel down in about a minute.

My gaze drifted over to him, sitting over towards the edge of the hollow. He was sitting, a nervous look in his eyes.

"Brokenkit?" He looked at me. "Is something wrong?"

"Well, I just feel a little weird…," He mewed.

"It's….probably normal," Icekit mewed, "I feel weird too, like something weird's going through my veins."

"Oh, so you feel it too," Brokenkit relaxed a little. "Do your veins feel hot?"

Icekit shook her head, "No. Well, at times. But then the temperature will drop, and I'll feel cold. Then, I'll be feeling hot again." Then she turned to me, "Do you feel weird, Snowkit?"

I shook my head, "No, I feel fine."

"Oh," She looked worried now.

"What do you think is happening?" I asked.

Icekit froze for a moment, the way she always does when she starts to think. She sat still for longer than usual, and Brokenkit and I ended up exchanging worried glances. Finally, she unfroze.

"I-I…_don't know!" _Icekit screeched. "This is the worst day ever!"

"Calm down, it's no big deal that you don't know _one _fact," I mewed. "It's probably nothing."

Just as I said that, Brokenkit started blubbering worriedly.

"Ah!" He called out, and jumped to his paws. "It's- it's- getting _hotter!" _

I didn't know what to say, and by the look on Icekit's face, she didn't seem to know either. We just stared at Brokenkit and hoped that he would be okay.

Brokenkit danced around for a moment, and then with a tiny squeak, a fire sparked right out of his fur.

I jumped back in shock, "What!"

Icekit didn't move.

"Icekit! Get out of there! He's on _fire!" _I called.

She still didn't move. Suddenly her ears flicked lightly, and Icekit wasn't Icekit anymore.

Icekit grew, and her fur changed to a dark rust. The bottom half of her legs were dark brown, and she now had a pointed snout. I sniffed the air, wondering _what _had happened to my sister, when an unfamiliar tang entered my scent glands. I hadn't ever scented it before, but I was sure of one thing.

It was the scent of fox.

_Icekit's a fox! _

_So I have a sister's that a fox, and a brother who's on fire. Where's Earthpaw when you need him! _

Brokenkit and Icekit stepped closer together, and looked at me, as if I knew some unknown answer to their problem. I just shrugged.

They kept staring.

I sighed, and said the only thing that I knew to at that moment, "Let's…find Earthpaw."


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for waiting for SO long guys! I hope this was worth the wait! =D ~Snowstar**

Discovering Powers

Part 1

It Snows in New-leaf

Brokenkit nodded vigorously, while Icekit stared at me like she couldn't understand what I was saying.

"Well come _on!" _I said, and ran across the hollow to Earthpaw's den. As I ran, I could only hope that Earthpaw would be there. If he wasn't, I didn't know _where _he could be.

_He's going to be there, he's going to be there…_

But he wasn't. I only remembered that he had left earlier when I saw the empty nest.

I turned around to see that Brokenkit and Icekit were in the exact same spot I had left them.

"Why didn't you follow me?" I demanded, "Don't you want to figure this out?"

"Well, yeah," Brokenkit replied, "But…I'm afraid I'll burn something."

I sighed, "Good point." I looked at Icekit, "What about you?"

She just stared at me, a confused look in her eyes.

"Icekit! Hello! Can't you hear me?" I yelled.

She still didn't answer. She only stared at me, looking confused and sad at the same time.

"That was so cool!" It was Blackkit, entering the hollow after he had mysteriously left with Earthpaw. "I can't believe I was able to move-"

Earthpaw cleared his throat, as if warning him to stop. He exchanged at warning glance with Blackkit, and then looked to me. "Oh, Snowkit, were you-" He stopped mid-stride, and stared at Brokenkit. His eyes widened. "Brokenkit," he said slowly, "what a- happened?"

"Um," Brokenkit mewed, the flames on his pelt flickering, "I caught on fire."

"Yes, we already know that," I said dully, while Blackkit peered around Earthpaw's shoulder to stare at Icekit.

"Guys," He said slowly, "not to scare anyone, but there's a _fox _in the _hollow." _

"We know," I replied. "The _real _problem is to figure out how to change Icekit and Brokenkit back."

"Change them back?" Blackkit asked. "You mean that fox…?"

"Yep, that's Icekit."

Blackkit looked a little more relieved now that he knew it was only Icekit, but kept his distance. Meanwhile, Earthpaw had stepped closer, and was staring at Icekit, looking amazed.

"Wow, I understood that we could control different elements, but this…this is _amazing!" _Earthpaw mewed.

Icekit just stared at him.

"What? Control elements?" I asked, "What do you mean?"

Earthpaw didn't seem to hear me.

"Earthpaw, do Icekit and Brokenkit-?" Blackkit asked.

Earthpaw nodded, "Yes, I think they do. They have powers."

_Oh _sure! _He hears _Blackkit! _Wait, powers? _

"Yay! That means that we're all part of the prophecy!" Blackkit exclaimed.

Earthpaw nodded, "Yep. C'mon, Brokenkit, Icekit, I've got some explaining to do." He turned, and led the way out of the hollow. Blackkit followed, flicking his tail happily.

"Do you think the den's dried out yet?" He asked as they left. Brokenkit followed tentatively, careful not to brush against any of the plants as best as he could. Icekit looked confused, but saw that everyone else was leaving, and decided to follow. Before she disappeared, Icekit looked back at me sadly, as if to say, _"aren't you coming?"_

I shook my head, and sat down.

Icekit turned sadly, and followed Brokenkit, Blackkit, and Earthpaw.

I looked around the empty hollow.

_ Empty_. _It's such a lonely word. But I'm only empty and alone because I'm different from them. All they want to do is leave me. They don't care what I do! They wouldn't care if I was still at Twolegplace! They probably _want_ me to be there! Rusty wouldn't have done this to me, he would've stayed even if he had found out that he was able to turn invisible! But _NO, _I'm _here, alone!

And with that, angry thoughts racing, I ran out of the hollow. I went all by myself, which is something that I would never have dreamed of, but I went anyway. At first, I had no idea just _where _I was going, but then I made up my mind. I only knew of one place to go, so I went there, the only place I could feel calm at beside Twolegplace.

_River, here I come!_

… … … … … …. …. …. …. …. …. …. ….

"Blackkit, where are we going?" I asked.

"To Earthpaw's den," He replied, looking straight ahead.

"But, isn't Earthpaw den…in the hollow?"

"Yeah, the one he shares with Tigerpaw is. But he has another one, out here, that's warmed and since he has Earth powers, he needs to be warm, and-" He continued to ramble on about powers and Earthpaw and more stuff about powers.

_Okay then…_

"Okay, we're here," Earthpaw announced.

I looked around. We were standing next to a steep outcrop, that I soon realized was the back of what bordered the hollow.

"I'll check and see if it's dry!" Blackkit called, and raced into the den. A moment later there was a splash.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Just the water inside the den," Earthpaw replied, peering inside. "Darn, I thought that it would be dry now! Especially since Blackkit brought it out earlier…Come on out, Blackkit, I think I have an idea!"

For a moment, I heard Blackkit splashing around inside, but then a moment later he was outside again.

"What's your idea?" Blackkit asked.

"Well, I thought, maybe Brokenkit could step inside, and the heat from the flames would dry it out," Earthpaw answered.

"Me? But I don't know what to do!" I protested. "I don't even know what's going on!"

"Brokenkit, calm down. I'm going to answer all of your questions in just a second," Earthpaw said. "You don't have to do anything, but walk into the den."

"Okay…," I said, and took a deep breath.

"Don't worry, Brokenkit; this is normal," Blackkit coaxed. "Earthpaw will explain some stuff, and then everything will be fine."

I nodded, and padded closer to the tunnel entrance. I paused for a moment, and peered into the darkness. "It's dark," I murmured.

"It'll light up when you go inside; you do have flames on your fur," Earthpaw mewed. "Don't be scared, Brokenkit. We'll be right behind you."

"Okay," I felt a little better now. I took a step inside, paused for a moment, and then dashed the rest of the way through.

Once I was inside, I saw sandy walls, and a damp sandy floor. I circled around, looking at each wall of the den. As I moved, I realized that the dampness in the floor disappeared.

"It's dry now!" I called, but Earthpaw was already coming through the tunnel.

"I know," Earthpaw replied, stepping out of the tunnel. He looked around for a moment. "Great job, Brokenkit!"

"But I didn't do anything! All I did was walk inside!"I replied.

"I know," Earthpaw repeated. "But that's enough."

"Awesome, you did it!" It was Blackkit, who was just coming out of the tunnel.

"Did you get Icekit?" Earthpaw asked.

Blackkit nodded, "I think so, but I don't know if she understood me."

Suddenly Icekit was there, her orange scruffy fur tinted golden in the light of my flames. She looked at Blackkit with an annoyed looked in her eyes.

"Okay, we're all here," Earthpaw mewed, sitting with his tail curled over his paws. "Now, questions?"

"Well, for starters," I began, "why am I on _fire?" _

Blackkit giggled. "Because you have powers, silly."

"_Fire _ powers, to be exact," Earthpaw added.

"Okay…," I said, thinking it over, "So we all have powers?"

Earthpaw nodded, "I have Earth powers. That means I can control the ground. Hence the underground den, hence the rock in the river, and yeah."

"What powers do you have?" I asked, turning to Blackkit.

"Storm powers," He replied. "I can make it rain, and can make lightning, and tornadoes, and all of that stuff."

"Wow," I said, "So we have Fire, Storm, and Earth powers. What about Icekit?"

Earthpaw stared at her. "Well, I think she has shape-shifting powers. Although, I'm not sure that she'll be able to shape shift into just anything."

"Can she understand us right now?" I asked.

Earthpaw shook his head, "I don't think so."

"Then how do we get her to change back?"

"I'm not so sure of that either," Earthpaw admitted.

"Earthpaw," Blackkit began, changing the subject, "I just realized something."

"Yes?" Earthpaw asked, turning his head to look at Blackkit.

"Well, we have Storm and Fire already, because I can make storms, and Brokenkit can make fire," He said. "And I'm pretty sure Icekit is Fox, because, well, she _is _afox right now."

Earthpaw nodded. "Yep. We almost have a complete prophecy."

"There's just one more cat to find," Blackkit mewed.

"Who?"

"Snow."

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

I sat and purred; I had made it to the river, all by myself.

Since I had gotten here, I'd walked up and down the shore, staring into the water. I wasn't looking for something; just enjoying the water's presence, and hoping something would come up to brighten my spirit. After pacing a few times, I padded back to a place with lots of reeds, and had sat down. That was where I sat now.

Gazing back into the water, I caught sight of something through the reeds. It was a small, silvery shape, gliding under the surface of the water.

_Can it be? It that…a fish? _

I'd never seen one before, but I remember one time Rusty had mentioned it before. I closed my eyes, and remembered.

Star had gotten to eat a sharp-smelling meat of some kind. When Rusty had asked what it was and why only she had gotten to eat it, Star had replied, "It's fish, and I only get to eat it because I'm the one that works all day to take care of you. Now stay back and let me eat."

Rusty had jumped back in shock at the harshness in her tone; she wasn't usually like this, not at all. Star went back to eating, and Rusty huffed back over to our corner. (This was before he and Princess got the idea for the kit clans.)

"I wish I could have some fish!" He had whispered angrily. "But, _noo! _ I'm stuck with regular old milk, or that hard stuff that Mama's Housefolk put in the dish!"

I had giggled, "You made a rhyme!"

Rusty had paused for a moment, and purred, "Yeah." But then he had grown angry again, "Why can't I have any? You know, Snowkit, if I was a Warrior out in the wild, then I'd be able to _catch _one, and we could share it."

"Fish? We could eat fish?" I had asked, eyes wide.

Rusty nodded, "Yup."

"Well, that might be nice, but I'm good with your Mama's milk, if that's okay," I had replied.

Rusty purred, "You know, Snowkit? That's just fine."

I opened my eyes, a happy purr still rumbling in my throat from the memory.

_Wait! He said something about…catching a fish…to eat! _

Then it hit like a bolt of lightning.  
><em>I'll catch it! <em>

_ But…how?_

_"Use berries," _A voice spoke in my head. I jumped back.

"Whoa! Who's there?" I thought I had heard the voice in my head, but I had to be sure that there wasn't another cat around.

When there was no answer, I relaxed.

_What berries? _

"In a bush," The voice replied. This time, I recognized it, but I wasn't sure of who it could be.

I whipped around, scanning the line of bushes. None of them seemed to have berries growing just yet, and for a moment, my hopes faded. I kept looking for a moment longer, and on a bush a few fox-lengths away, I found some dark purple shapes, growing fat and juicy in the early New-leaf sun.

_Thanks, whoever you are. _

As I padded towards the bushes, the voice didn't reply, but I didn't mind at the moment. I carefully plucked at few of the berries with my teeth off of the bush. One of them was squashed in my mouth, and for a moment, I got to taste the sweet juices.

Carrying the berries carefully, I ventured back over to the river, hoping that the fish would still be there. When I peered through the reeds again, I saw that it was, and prepared to drop the berries in.

_Wait, won't they flow down in the current? _I found myself hoping that the voice would reply again. Even though it was creepy, it seemed to know things.

_"Yes. Go upstream a little." _

I flicked my tail happily, and went up stream a few paces. For a moment, I peered over the edge of the stream, and looked for the fish. I could barely make it out, even though it was still fairly close. Carefully, I dropped the clump of berries into the water. They sank for a moment, then rose back up to the top, and then began to bob up and down as they flew down the current. I follow the berries through the reeds until I came to the spot where the fish was. I watched the berries float right over the fish, and for a moment, I stopped in despair.

"Why didn't it work?" I asked myself. But I had spoken too soon.

The fish caught sight of the berries _after _they had passed it, and then the chase began. The fish swam after the berries, and I ran after the fish. The fish reached up to the surface of the water, trying to grab the juicy treat. That was when I knew it was my chance.

I got closer to the shore, and reached down with a swift paw, throwing the fish out of the water, and onto the shore. Excitement surging, I bounded over to the fish, and gave a blow to the neck, killing it in that one blow.

_I did it! I really caught a fish! _

The voice didn't reply, but I didn't worry about it. Instead, I bent down to take a bite.

As soon as I bit into the smooth skin, flavor washed through my mouth. It had so much more flavor than the silly mouse from before, and it just tasted better. I enjoyed the fish for a few more bites, but then something weird began to happen.

I started…vibrating.

At first it was just a slow, steady vibration, but after a few bites, it got faster.

_Is this…._supposed _to happen? Meh, maybe it is. _

_But it's not like I could go to anyone and ask; they left me behind. _

With bitter thoughts racing, I finished the fish.

When I was done, I felt like I was about to explode, and the bad thoughts about my family dissolved.

"Wha-what's happening to me?" I asked, knowing that no one would answer.

Just as the words escaped my mouth, a cold wind rushed by the river. It swooped in low, and swarmed around me. I stood up, scared out of my wits, but also too curious to run away. After a few seconds, I began to relax; the cool wind was relaxing. It had begun to feel a little too hot for my liking, and this wind was just what I needed.

But leave it to me to like something right before it goes away.

Right as I had closed my eyes, and had begun to enjoy the wind, it stopped suddenly. I opened my eyes, wondering where it had gone. I looked up to the sky, and caught sight of something. It was a small white shape, fluttering down from the sky, ever so delicately. I watched it, and it fluttered down, right onto my nose.

"It's a snowflake," I whispered, and watched it. I expected it to melt, but it stayed right there on my nose, unmoving.

Suddenly, the wind was back, and it came carrying millions of snowflakes. They all fluttered around, covering the ground. At first there was only a light dusting of snow on the ground, but soon there were piles surrounding the banks of the river.

I looked around in awe; this was amazing! I bounded around, lading in the piles of snow, leaving paw-prints everywhere. I rolled around, letting the snow cover me, cool me, soothe me.

Worn out just a little, I lay on my back and looked up at the sky. I sighed happily, and stretched out my front paws through the snow.

_Why haven't I ever felt like this before?_

… … … … … … … … … … … …

"But isn't it obvious?" I asked. "All three of us have powers, except for Snowkit, well, seemingly. Snowkit has 'snow' in her name, and seems to be the only one out of our litter who doesn't have powers."

Earthpaw nodded, "I should've seen that. And here we left her all alone…"

There was an angry grunt. I turned, and saw that it was Icekit. She had been silent through our conversation, seeing as she had no way to communicate right now. She was staring at Earthpaw with an angry look in her eyes.

Earthpaw looked at her, and purred in amusement, "Okay, Icekit. _You _ didn't forget about Snowkit."

Icekit nodded abruptly.

"I just can't believe that _I _did…," Earthpaw trailed off.

"But then what are we waiting for?" Blackkit asked. "We need to go back and get Snowkit. She does have powers, just like us."

"Well," Earthpaw began, "we're not completely sure about-"

"Let's _go," _I urged, and led the way out of the den.

We raced back around the hollow, and burst inside.

Snowkit was gone, but Bluetail was there.

Bluetail stared at us for a moment, and then relief flooded his eyes, "Thank _goodness. You _ were with them, Earthpaw. I thought that they'd all- never mind. Well, I'm going hunting. Watch your brothers and sisters." And with that, Bluetail walked by all of us, and out into the forest, not even saying goodbye.

"Um…he didn't notice Icekit was a fox?" I asked, looking at Earthpaw in confusion.

Earthpaw shook his head, "Bluetail…doesn't notice some big things like that. It's not like he isn't smart, or strong, he just tends to…be caught up in _his _world, and not ours."

"Oh," I said, not really understanding him.

"Where's Snowkit?" Blackkit spoke up, looking around.

Earthpaw sighed, "When we left her alone, she probably got mad, and went somewhere by herself. It's all my fault…she could be lost, or hurt, and we wouldn't know. I don't even know where she would go!"

There was a sudden scraping noise, as if someone was scratching their claws on the ground. I looked around, until I noticed that it was Icekit who was scratching.

"What is it?" Earthpaw asked, looking at her intently. "Do you know where Snowkit is?"

Icekit nodded.

"Then lead the way!" Earthpaw encouraged, and Icekit bounded out of the hollow. I followed right behind her, wondering how Icekit knew where Snowkit was.

Icekit led us through the trees, not stopping once. She just kept running. As we ran, I came to recognize the path we were on. It was the path to the river!

_Of course! _ _It's the only place that we've gone to since we came to the forest!_

I quickened my pace a little, determined to get to my sister.

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

I sat up, and watched the bushes.

Something was coming.

I stood up, not moving my gaze from the bushes.

"Snowkit!" I screamed as my name was called. I stepped back, wanting to get away from whatever was coming. Terror gripped me when I realized there was no ground beneath me. I screamed again as I began to fall.

_NO! Not in the river! _

I fell back, but not into the water. I landed against something soft and warm. Suddenly it shook, and I realized whatever it was, was laughing.

"You okay, Snowkit?"

I relaxed when I realized it was only Earthpaw.

"Yes," I said, sighing in relief. "I'm fine now." I sat up, and turned around to face him. "But why are you here? I thought you were busy with everyone else."

I saw a glint of guilt flash through his eyes for a moment, but it was gone as quick as it had appeared. "I'm sorry, Snowkit. I just got caught up in everything. You see, we all are a part of something huge, and I was so excited to show your littermates when I realized their part in it all. I didn't stop to see that you were a part of it too," As he spoke, I saw true guilt and sorrow in his face, and I couldn't help but forgive him right away.

"It's okay, Earthpaw. I know that everything was exciting. I mean, Brokenkit caught on _fire, _and Icekit turned into a _fox. _I can understand what you were feeling," I said.

Earthpaw smiled, "Thanks. Now, Snowkit, I have some explaining to do."

"Yeah, is she in for a surprise!" I jumped when I heard Blackkit's voice, and again when I heard Brokenkit laugh. I spun around, to see all three of my littermates sitting there, looking at me with warmth in their eyes.

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

"So…we're all part of a prophecy?" I asked. Earthpaw nodded.

"And we're all supposed to have powers," Blackkit added.

Earthpaw glanced at him, then back at me, "Yes. And we're going to wait until yours show up. We're not going to leave you again."

I purred, "But they already have showed up."

"They have?" Earthpaw stood up. "That's great!"

"Yay!" Brokenkit purred, "Now we all have powers!"

"Let's see yours," Blackkit mewed.

"Okay!" I stood up. Then I looked at Earthpaw, "Um…I'm not so sure how to do this."

Earthpaw purred, "I thought you might need help. Okay, so just concentrate on coldness. Think of anything cold; that will help you to make snow."

I nodded, "Thanks." Then I closed my eyes, and thought of the swirling wonderland I had created just moments before.

"Ah!" I opened my eyes when I heard Brokenkit squeal.

"What?"

"It's- it's, putting my fire out!" Brokenkit was dancing around, trying to avoid the snowflakes that were now swirling around us.

"So what? A few snowflakes?" Blackkit was pretending to act cool.

I snorted, "Well, watch this." I concentrated once again, and a huge pile of snow flew down, covering Blackkit completely.

"Hey!" A muffled cry broke through the snow. Suddenly snow was flying everywhere, and Blackkit appeared once again.

I giggled, "Still think it's a, 'few' snowflakes?"

Blackkit rolled his eyes.

"Brokenkit!" It was Earthpaw, trying to calm Brokenkit down, who was still dancing around. "It's okay! Just stop!"

Brokenkit did so, and saw that everything was fine. "Oh. So it's not going to put my fire out?"

"Not if you don't let it," Earthpaw replied. "Just stand still for a second."

"Earthpaw?" I asked, "How do we…um…_stop _using our powers?"

A look of realization swept across his face, "Oh yeah…forgot that little detail. Okay, it will get easier later of course, but for now, think of the opposite of your element."

"You mean I _have _to put my fire out?" Brokenkit asked, looking crushed.

"I know it seems unfair, but we do have one rule about our powers. We don't show them to other cats. It's very dangerous. Some cats could become jealous, or want to capture us, and use our powers to destroy other clans. You've got to tone it down, at least for the night," Earthpaw replied.

"Okay," Brokenkit said, hanging his head. "But there aren't any other cats around here!"

"We don't know that," Earthpaw replied, "There are rouges everywhere in this area. I would know…I met one once…" He trailed off, then seemed to remember something. "I almost forgot. _Never _show your powers to Twolegs."

"But, Earthpaw…," I said, "We've never actually seen Twolegs before."

"Well, yes, but if you _ever _do," Earthpaw replied. "Never use your powers in front of them."

"Why?" Blackkit piped up.

Earthpaw sighed, "You'll just have to trust me on this one. Twolegs are…unpredictable."  
>Blackkit nodded, "Okay."<p>

"Okay, good." Earthpaw looked over us. "Back to the opposite of your element."

I took a deep breath. "Okay."

I closed my eyes, and concentrated on heat. I felt a surge of power flash its way through me. When I opened my eyes, all of the snow was gone, replaced with an uncomfortable warmness. My pelt felt like it was crawling with ants!

"Earthpaw! It's so hot!" I complained.

Earthpaw looked away from Brokenkit, and met my gaze, "It's okay, Snowkit. It's going to get hot, but you're going to have to learn to accept the heat."

I sighed, "But I _can't!" _

"It's not any different than it was before you found your powers," Earthpaw pointed out, "It hasn't gotten _any _hotter. Just take a deep breath, and relax."

I breathed in deeply, over and over again, but I still felt so hot, and it was freaking me out. "It's not _working _Earthpaw!'

_I have to make it snow again!_

_ "No! Don't do that! We have to protect our powers!" _

It was the voice again.

_ How do _you _know about my powers?_

_ "Because I have them too."_

_ Who are you?_

_"Icekit of course! Who did you think it was!"_

_ Well, I don't- _

"ICEKIT?!" I yowled.

Everyone stared at me.

"Um…," I felt my cheeks get hot. But this was no time for embarrassment; Icekit had spoken to me through her mind!

"Snowkit?" Brokenkit was staring at me, his flames now lowering down. "Did you hear Icekit talking to you?"

I glanced over at Icekit, silently asking her to help me out here. Icekit nodded.

"Yes," I replied, "I heard her voice in my mind."

"Wow," Earthpaw padded closer, "I didn't think that _this _would happen."

"What?" I asked.

"The communication between minds," Earthpaw replied. "That's something that Snowy told me about. She had the same connection with her brother. Whenever they'd think about something, the other would hear it."

"Oh, so I'm not going crazy?" I asked.

Earthpaw shook his head, "Of course not. It's just something that comes with your powers."

"Oh, good," I said, relaxing.

"And this is great because now you can talk to Icekit, and we'll be able to change her back!" Earthpaw said, the usual light in his eyes looking even brighter.

"_Yes! I'll be able to be myself again! C'mon, Snowkit! Let's get me back to being Icekit! _

Discovering Powers

Part 2

Goodbye, Tigerpaw

"Ah," Icekit said, closing her eyes, "Much better."

Icekit had just managed to shape shift back into herself, with Earthpaw's help, of course. Earthpaw stood watching her proudly.

"Well done, Icekit," He praised. "You've done well."

Icekit sighed, "That was a _lot_ of work."

"But you only shifted three times," I pointed out.

She looked at me, fury in her eyes, "That's _four, _Brokenkit, and for your information, that took a _lot _of my energy." She turned and stomped off towards home, Snowkit scampering after her.

I watched them leave, wondering just _what _I had done to provoke her sudden outburst.

Blackkit sighed, "Don't be too hard on yourself, bro. Icekit's tired, that's all."

Earthpaw padded up, "Yeah. She must be frustrated because her powers work differently. Instead of being able to just concentrate on, say, fire, she has to think of different stuff. Some stuff that I can't help her with, and she'll have to figure out on her own. But I don't doubt her. She'll have figured out her powers in no time. But for now, she's going to be a bit…edgy. So don't get too upset if she blows up at you, okay?"

I nodded, "Can we go home now?"

Earthpaw nodded back, "Sure. Is your fire out?"

"I think so," I replied. Earthpaw inspected my back, and then pulled back, looking satisfied.

"You're good," he said, then looked to Blackkit, "You ready to go?"

"Yep, I'm exhausted after today. So much happened, Earthpaw," Blackkit said. "So much that tells us who we're supposed to be."

Earthpaw purred, "Yes, Blackkit. I'm glad that you'll get to share my destiny with me." He began to lead the way home.

I followed after, "But what is our destiny exactly?"

Earthpaw looked back at me for a moment, "I'm not so sure, Brokenkit . All we know is that someday, we're all going to do something great with our powers. We didn't just get them by accident; we're _meant _to do something."

"I just wish I knew _what," _I said.

"It will be revealed in time," Earthpaw replied. "All in time. For now we just stay here, and obey Bluetail. He will keep you all safe, and someday, you'll both become great Warriors."

Blackkit was next to me now, "But, Earthpaw? What about _my _prophecy?"

"Well, earlier we determined, who Mud, Earth, and Storm were, right? That talks about you and I coming together, and realizing that we all have powers. In your prophecy, it talks about you, Brokenkit, Snowkit, and Icekit," Earthpaw explained, "And the part about 'training to be faithful fighters…' I'm guessing that's saying that you'll be great Warriors."

"Really? It actually _proves _that we'll be strong?" I asked.

"Yes," Earthpaw said. "But that's just the beginning. You'll still have your destiny ahead of you."

"So…being a Warrior isn't our destiny?" I asked.

Earthpaw shook his head, "I don't think so. There wouldn't be two prophecies about the same thing. It doesn't mean that you won't be a Warrior, it just means that…well…you might do something more important than that."

"What about Snowkit and Icekit? What's 'the flaming, and the flying'?" Blackkit asked.

"I dunno," Earthpaw said, as we neared home. "But all of this will be revealed in time."

When we stepped into the hollow, Bluetail was pacing back and forth. When he saw us, he dashed over.

"Are you okay?" He asked Earthpaw, examining all over him. "Did anything happen? I've been worried; you've been gone for so long!"

Earthpaw sighed, "Dad, I'm okay. Stop this, you're acting like a Queen who's lost her kit. And last time I checked, you're not a Queen, and I'm not a kit."

Bluetail sighed, and backed away.

"Nothing happened to us. The kits and I were- just at the river, playing," Earthpaw said calmly. "And if you want to worry about someone, you might wanna' worry about Tigerpaw. He isn't even here; probably off with his 'rogue,' friends."

Bluetail didn't looked one bit surprised. "Earthpaw, Tigerpaw's fine, and we both know that. Disobeying me is his choice, and no one else's. I don't care what he does, as long as he doesn't find out about your-" He side-glanced at Blackkit and I, then leaned closer to Earthpaw.

"They know about the powers, Dad."

Bluetail backed away again, "They do? Earthpaw! That's completely against _everything _that I have-"

"They have them too."

"-Even if they have them too, you are never to- Wait, what did you say?" Bluetail's anger melted away completely. "They have powers?"

"Yeah!" I spoke up, and Bluetail looked at me in shock.

"What can you do? Can you do crazy flips and jump, and make earthquakes just like Earthpaw?"

I shook my head, "Not yet. Right now, all I can do is catch my fur on fire."

"And I can make it rain- right above my head!" Blackkit said.

"And Snowkit can make it snow, and more than just a few snowflakes-"

"And Icekit can shape-shift!" Blackkit finally said proudly. "We're going to be strong, and Earthpaw's going to teach us how to use our powers!"

Bluetail just stood there staring at us. "But…I thought Earthpaw was the only one with powers."

"Dad, we've already established this," Earthpaw mewed, "They have powers too. Not just me."

Bluetail looked at Earthpaw, "And you're really going to teach them?"

"As best as I can," Earthpaw replied. "Don't worry, we can make this work. I've already explained to them about hiding their powers, and stuff."

"Even from Tigerpaw?"

"We have to keep them from our brother?" I asked.

"It's not like we talk to him a lot," Blackkit said, shrugging, "Shouldn't be that big of a deal."

"Yeah, but he's still our brother," I said. I didn't know why I was so upset, but I was. It didn't seem fair that we would keep the best thing about us a secret from our own brother.

"What Tigerpaw doesn't know, won't hurt him," Earthpaw said, stepping into our conversation. "It's okay, Brokenkit."

"Now, it's time for you two to get some sleep," he said, "Go into the den with Snowkit and Icekit."

I sighed, "Do we _have _to, Earthpaw?"

He nodded, "I'm sorry, but your powers drain your energy like crazy. You may not notice it right now, but once you lie down, you'll be out. Just look at Snowkit and Icekit."

"Okay, Earthpaw," Blackkit said, then he looked at me, "C'mon, tomorrow we'll get to do more stuff with our powers."

I nodded slowly, starting to realize how tired I was. I followed my brother to our den, past my snoring sisters, and into my nest.

Right as I laid down, my true exhaustion showed itself. I closed my eyes instantly, hoping that I would never have to wake up.

The next morning, I opened my eyes, and discovered that I was the first one awake. When I peered outside, I saw even Bluetail was still snoring in his den. I purred, happy to have some time to myself. I swerved back around, and climbed along the path up to the ledge at the top of the tree.

I sat there on the ledge, and let the rising sun warm my face. I felt so tall up here, so strong, and yet also at peace. I sat for a while, just watching the sun rise, and watching the colors in the sky turn. It started as a dark blue, and went to gray, and purple, and then to orange, and pink, and eventually back to bright blue.

The sun rose completely above the horizon, blinding me. I closed my eyes, and turned to keep the sun out. After a moment, I looked down into the hollow, and saw Bluetail looking up at me. He flicked his tail in greeting, then turned to the sandy area where he buried prey.

I watched him dig up his morning meal, and then went back to watching the sky.

"Hey Brokenkit!"

I looked down again and saw Earthpaw looking up at me.

"Hi!" I called down.

"You want me to show you a fast way to get down from there?"

"Sure, but how do you know-"

"Planned it last night," he explained.

"Oh…," I said, wondering why and how he would plan a fast way to the ground.

"Be right up!" Earthpaw called.

A moment later, he was standing next to me.

"Okay, now…I'm fighting everything inside of me to not make this look really complicated…But I could add some cool flips…and spins…and-" He shook his head. "Okay, concentrate…" He stepped back a bit ,then ran forward, and jumped off of the ledge. For a split second he was falling, but he flexed his paws, and suddenly clouds of earth formed around his paws, pushing him slightly upward. Then he let himself drop down a little, and flexed his paws again. Then he dropped almost all the way to the ground, catching himself right before he hit the ground. He turned around and looked up at me. "Now your turn."

"But…how?" I asked.

"Just jump," Earthpaw encouraged.

"But I'll fall! I dunno how to catch myself like you did!" I looked down at him, feeling bewildered. How could he expect me to just _jump _without reassurance that I wouldn't end up flattened on the ground.

He look me straight in the eye, "Just trust me, Brokenkit. I didn't have to think about it, so neither do you."  
>"But you have more experience!" I insisted, "You know what do to!"<p>

"You don't have to do anything. You just jump, and your instincts take over," He replied calmly.

I took a deep breath, and tried to calm myself down. "Okay," I finally said, still a little unsure. Bracing myself, I jumped off, stretching my front paws out so that they would touch the ground first.

_You're gonna be okay…You're gonna be okay…_

And that's when the fire engulfed me. I gasped, and looked around. All around me, all I could see was fire. It didn't burn me, but felt good against the bottom of my paws. Suddenly the fire turned clear, and I could see through it. I was hovering just above the ground.

_Okay, _I thought, _now….snow…._

The fire disappeared, and I was on the ground, standing next to Earthpaw.

"How did I do?"

Earthpaw looked at me, looking surprised, "That was amazing, Brokenkit."

I beamed. Earthpaw was proud of me. That was the best feeling in the world. It felt warm like sunshine.

Suddenly I felt a spark ignite on my back.

"Hey…I didn't want to start a fire," I mewed.

"That's normal, Brokenkit. When you first get your powers, strong emotions can trigger them," Earthpaw explained. He laughed, "I remember once when I was your age…I caught my first prey, and suddenly I was underground."

I laughed. "Well, at least I can only catch on fire and not end up underground."

"Hey Brokenkit!" I turned around to see Icekit calling me from the top of the ledge. "I thought I heard you up here! How'd you get down so fast?"

"Earthpaw showed me," I replied.

"Show us, Earthpaw!" It was Snowkit, she, along with Blackkit, had just climbed up behind Icekit.

"Okay," Earthpaw meowed. "Concentrate on your element and coming down at the same time, and soon you'll be down here."

They nodded.

Blackkit went first. I saw him close his eyes for a moment, and then he was suddenly floating on top of storm clouds. They rained down onto the ground as he lowered himself down.

When Snowkit went, she did something similar to me. But instead of fire, she was inside a ball of snow. It looked like a giant snowball at first, but then it cleared up, and I could see my sister again. She floated down gracefully, and placed her paws gently onto the ground.

"How'd I do?" She asked.

Earthpaw's mouth was gaping, "Great."

I looked up at Icekit. "Your turn!"

Icekit backed away from the edge a little, "I can't do it."

"Yes you can," Earthpaw replied. "Just because your powers are different doesn't mean you can't come down from the ledge.

"But what do I do?" Icekit called down.

"Turn into a bird," Earthpaw said. "If you can do a fox, you can definitely do a bird."

"Can I turn into a hawk?"

"Sure. Whatever you want to do. Do you know what to do?

Icekit nodded, "I think I can do it."

We all watched silently.

"Icekit?" I called up.

Suddenly there was a huge caw, and a huge brown bird flew off of the ledge, and rocketed up into the sky. Icekit rose until she was a tiny speck.

"Can she get back down?" Snowkit asked worriedly.

"Snowkit, this is _Icekit _you're talking about. I think that she can handle herself," Earthpaw replied, still watching the sky.

Relief flooded Snowkit's face, "Of course."

Suddenly the speck began to get bigger. Icekit was coming back!  
>"Here she comes!" Blackkit called.<p>

Icekit kept soaring towards us, and right before she hit the ground, she swerved upward and flew around the hollow a few times. Then she landed, and stood in front of Earthpaw.

"Well done, Icekit!" Earthpaw praised.

Icekit just stared at him.

Earthpaw looked to Snowkit, "Mind delivering that message for me?"

"Sure," Snowkit replied. She stood silent for a moment. Then realization flooded Icekit's face.

Suddenly there was the sound of thundering paws coming towards us. Bluetail screeched to a stop in front of us. Icekit shifted back to herself just in time to hear him.

"What were you thinking?" Bluetail screeched, "What if Tigerpaw saw? Do you know what he would do?"

"Oh…," Earthpaw seemed to realize something. "Sorry dad; but at least he didn't see any of it."

"Who didn't see what?" It was Tigerpaw, coming into the hollow, holding a mouse.

"Um," Earthpaw said, turning around to face him, "It was nothing."

Tigerpaw rolled his eyes, "Right." He looked to Bluetail. "What was going on here?"

Bluetail met his gaze, showing no emotion, "Nothing, Tigerpaw. Nothing was happening. Now, bury the mouse, and get some rest."

Tigerpaw looked at him like he was crazy. "No. Not until you tell me what was going on. I just _heard _you talking about me."

"Nothing important," Bluetail replied. "Now, to your nest."

Tigerpaw took a deep breath, as if he was trying to hold in his fury. "Dad. I need to know."

"Know what?" Bluetail asked. "_Nothing happened." _

"Yes it did!" Tigerpaw lashed his tail. "You just don't want to tell me because I don't matter to you!"

"Guys, go to the den," Earthpaw whispered. I stood up immediately and scampered to the den. I wasn't about to get in between Bluetail and Tigerpaw when they were both mad. I bounded to my nest, and closed my eyes, wishing that I could block out the sound as well. Giving up, I peered out of the den, watching my father and brother.

"Tigerpaw, it was something private," Bluetail said, his eyes closed.

"Yeah. 'Private,' that means everyone can know but me," Tigerpaw said angrily. "I just don't get it, Bluetail. What did I ever do to you? I may not be Mr. goody two-paws like Earthpaw, but that doesn't mean you can hate me."

Bluetail whipped around. "Hate you? _Hate _you? I don't hate you Tigerpaw. I can't believe you would say that."

"Well its true. Everything has _always _been about Earthpaw. You taught _Earthpaw _how to hunt. You told _Earthpaw _how special he was. You always cared about _Earthpaw!" _Tigerpaw snarled.

Bluetail stood up and padded towards Tigerpaw, bristling. "How _dare _you accuse me of that! Leave Earthpaw out of this! He has nothing to do with why _you _are acting like a kit!"

Tigerpaw didn't even flinch. "Well, if you ask me, you're being the kit, Bluetail. And Earthpaw has _everything _to do with this!"

Bluetail crouched low, hissing. "It's not Earthpaw's fault that you disobey me, are rude, and don't do anything to help this family! You wanna' be a Warrior? Well you're not going to be a good one the way you're acting!"

Tigerpaw met Bluetail in the same crouch, his fur puffed up so he looked huge.

Through all of this, Earthpaw had sat there watching in horror.

"Well, I don't want _you _to give me my name anyway!" Tigerpaw threw himself at our father, knocking him over. Bluetail screeched in alarm, but managed to throw Tigerpaw off. They both crouched again, and started circling one another.

Earthpaw stood up, "Stop it guys! Tigerpaw!"

They both ignored him, and threw themselves at each other again.

Tigerpaw lashed out scratching Bluetail's face, but it looked like he hadn't even felt it. Bluetail kicked Tigerpaw off, and sent him flying.

While Tigerpaw was still on the ground, Bluetail padded up to him, a low growl rumbling in his throat. Tigerpaw scrambled to his paws, and stood facing him, fear flooding his eyes. For a moment, he laid his ears back, as if accepting defeat. Then his eyes flashed, and Tigerpaw lashed his tail.

"Back off," He growled.

Bluetail hissed in reply. "Never."

Tigerpaw backed up a few paces, and ran into the line of bushes. He turned his head, trying to find an escape. But it was too late.

Bluetail looked _really _mad now. He stared at Tigerpaw, fury flashing through his eyes. He raised his paw in Tigerpaw's moment of weakness, and sliced his right ear, completely splitting it in half.

Tigerpaw yowled and ran off towards the entrance of the hollow. He whipped back around, hurt sweltering in his eyes, and blood running down his face from the cut in his ear.

"Get out," Bluetail snarled.

Tigerpaw's eyes widened with shock. "What?"

"Get out!" Bluetail repeated "No monsters are allowed here."

Suddenly Earthpaw charged forward, and stood between them. "Dad, no!"

Bluetail looked at him. "Earthpaw, it's for the good of our family."

"Dad, don't do this! Tigerpaw's your son, and my brother! You can't kick him out!" Earthpaw wasn't angry, or desperate, only defiant.

"I wouldn't care if he was a helpless kit!" He spat. "He's leaving _now." _

"No! Please, you can't do this!" Earthpaw pleaded.

"You stay out of this!" Tigerpaw hissed. "This is none of your business Goody goody! Besides, we don't want 'wittle Earthkit to get himself hurt."

Earthpaw stared at him infuriated, "Fine. Don't take my help, Tigerpaw. I've never done anything to hurt you, but all you can do is call me names and hate me." Lashing his tail, Earthpaw turned and padded towards our den.

"Oh yeah!" Tigerpaw mocked, seeming to ignore what Earthpaw had said, "Go to the kits' den! That's where you belong!"

Earthpaw ignored him, and came to sit beside me, muttering, "Good riddance."

I turned back to watch outside. Bluetail and Tigerpaw still stood there, staring at each other.

Bluetail flicked his tail. "Go."

"Oh, so that's my goodbye?" Tigerpaw asked. "Lame."

Bluetail hissed and unsheathed his claws. Tigerpaw squealed and ran into the trees.

Discovering Powers

Part 3

We "Join" Shadowclan

_How could he _do_ that?! Where's Tigerpaw going to go now? _

"Icekit?" It was Snowkit. "Are you okay?"

I looked around and found that I was lashing my tail. "Oh, er, fine. I'm just upset that Tigerpaw's gone now."

Snowkit shrugged, "He'll be fine. It's not as if he's around here a lot anyway."

I sighed, "I guess."

I turned back to the entrance of the den and watched Bluetail, tail lashing, pad back to his den.

"I didn't think Bluetail would go that far," Earthpaw said.

"Why did Bluetail do that?"Brokenkit asked, frowning.

Earthpaw sighed. "He just has a short temper with some cats. One of those cats just happens to be Tigerpaw."

"Oh," Brokenkit said, looking at the ground.

"It's okay, Brokenkit," Blackkit stood next to him. "Tigerpaw can take care of himself. He'll be okay."

"Yeah, but Bluetail just kicked him out! That wasn't fair!" Brokenkit replied.

Earthpaw sighed, and rested his tail on Brokenkit's shoulder. "Blackkit's right; he'll be fine." He gazed over use all for a moment, looking a little sad. "Well, Bluetail will probably be moping around in his den for a few days, so I probably need to hunt. You guys be good, okay? No trouble. Bluetail's really upset with Tigerpaw, so he might blow up at you."

I nodded. "We'll be good, Earthpaw."

Snowkit nodded. "Yeah. We'll stay right here."

"Yeah," Blackkit repeated.

Brokenkit stayed silent, but nodded solemnly.

"Okay. I'll be back soon," Earthpaw said, looking us over us again. Then he padded out of the den. We all watched him leave, huddling together. For a moment, I felt scared. Bluetail was angry enough to tear someone's eyes out, and Earthpaw was leaving us alone with him.

Blackkit groaned, "What're we supposed to do _now?" _

I shrugged, "Do you _have _to be doing something all of the time?"

"Well, yeah!" Blackkit replied. "Earthpaw didn't say we had to sit here and do nothing."

"He also told us to stay here," I retorted.

"So? Earthpaw's my brother; not my boss," Blackkit mewed, standing up. "_I'm _going to have some fun."

Holding his tail high, Blackkit strutted out of the hollow. I rolled my eyes, "You're gonna get in trouble!"

"No I'm not!" Blackkit called before he disappeared.

Brokenkit scowled, "Now what? Everyone's leaving us!"

"I dunno," Snowkit shrugged. "I could freeze stuff randomly."

"No!" Brokenkit shrieked, "That's boring…and kinda weird…"

Snowkit scowled at him.

"Still bored here!" Brokenkit whined.

"Brokenkit, calm down. We'll find something to do," I said.

"Like what?" He demanded.

"Um," I couldn't think of anything, so I stood there saying 'um,' until Brokenkit finally cut me off.

"See? Even_ you _can't think of anything, Icekit. Face it. This is just a boring place," Brokenkit hung his head.

I sighed. "Brokenkit, you get _way _too worked up about stuff."

He lifted his head, his green eyes blazing, "I do _not!" _He turned around, and faced the wall, refusing to look at either of us. Snowkit and I exchanged glances, and I wished that I could talk to her without Brokenkit hearing.

_Wait, I can! Now…what to turn into…?_

I concentrated hard on a fox cub, and when I opened my eyes, I found Snowkit staring at me with wide eyes.

_"What are you doing?"_ I could hear her thoughts in my head now.

_I wanted to talk to you privately. _

_ "About what?"_

_ We need to find something to do; fast. Brokenkit's about to explode with boredom. _

Snowkit sighed. _"I know. But what _can _we do? Earthpaw told us to stay here."_

_ Blackkit left, _I pointed out.

_"Yeah, and Blackkit's gonna' get himself in big trouble," _Snowkit retorted.

_We could go, as long as Earthpaw and Bluetail don't find out._

Snowkit sighed. _"Okay, but this was _your _idea, okay?" _

_Okay. Let's go. Follow me, and get Brokenkit._

_ "Okay. Wait, where are we going?"_

A sly look crept onto my face. _You'll see. _

I paused at the entrance to the den, making sure that Bluetail was still in his den.

For a moment, I listened to Snowkit and Brokenkit jabbering. It frustrated me that when I shifted, I couldn't understand them anymore. Snowkit was my only connection to the rest of them.

_Snowkit? Is Brokenkit coming?_

_ "Yeah. He says he'll come. You can lead the way," _She replied.

I looked back at them for a moment, then turned and dashed across the hollow as stealthily as I could. Snowkit and Brokenkit followed after me, but made no effort to be quiet. They both banged around like badgers. I let out a low hiss.

_Snowkit! Quiet down!_

_ "Sorry." _

Once they had caught up to me, I led them out of the hollow, and paused for a moment.

_I need to shift again to see where we're going. _

_ "Okay, go ahead." _

I shifted into a robin, and flew up high into the treetops. I circled around, looking for a place that could be a Clan territory. Nothing stood out in such a way. Finally I spotted a place in the distance. Most of the trees were Pine, and I could see marshes and mud all over the place. I had found ShadowClan.

"You're taking us to _ShdowClan?"_Snowkit asked, exasperated.

"Yup," I replied. I had shifted back into myself so I could talk with Snowkit and Brokenkit. I could only hope that I wouldn't wear myself out before we got there.

"Cool," Brokenkit said. "How far away is it?"

"Pretty far," I replied. "If we walk, it could take us a few days."

"Well, so much for that," Snowkit said, turning to the hollow.

"Where are you going?" I demanded. "Who says we have to walk?"

"Oh yeah," Brokenkit said, "We're flying."

I nodded, "I can shift into a hawk, and you two can use your elements to help you fly. Just use the same thing you did when came down from the tree ledge."

Snowkit looked unsure. "But I don't know if I can fly that far, Icekit."

"We'll find out, then," I said. "Snowkit, we're never going to get stronger if we don't test our limits. I've already shifted three times today, and am about to again."

"And you don't feel tired?"

"Nope, not at all," I said. "So I'm sure you and Brokenkit can fly a little ways."

"Okay," Snowkit said, "Let's do it."

"_Whoa! It's amazing up here!" _

_ I know! See, isn't flying much faster than just walking? _

_ "Yeah, but still kinda scary…"_

I looked over at Snowkit, who was flying beside me. Snow was shooting from her back paws, keeping her propelled in the air somehow. I didn't exactly see how this was possible, but that didn't matter; we were cats with powers, and when you're a cat with powers, anything goes.

Brokenkit was flying next to her, fire blazing from his paws. He was looking forward, his eyes fixed on the trees I had pointed out as ShadowClan. With every minute, the trees got closer.

_"We're almost there!" _

_I know! Are you excited?_

_ "I…I don't know. What are we going to do there, exactly?"_

_ Huh. I didn't think of that…_

Snowkit laughed. _"Well, I guess it's better than sitting at home, doing nothing." _

_ Yeah .C'mon, let's land. _

I dived down towards the ground, preparing myself to face upward again to stop. I stopped for a moment, waiting just above the trees for Snowkit and Brokenkit.

Suddenly I heard some yelling behind me. I turned, and Snowkit tumbled towards me. I cawed and lashed out, fighting to stay up in the air. I managed not to fall, but Snowkit continued to tumble towards the ground. She landed with a thump, and didn't get up.

_Snowkit! Are you okay?_

She didn't reply for a moment. I landed as quickly as possible, and probably shifted back before I had touched the ground. I ran as fast as I could to my sister.

"Snowkit, wake up!" I cried out.

She sat up, "What? Come to knock me down again?"

I stepped back. "N-no. What's your deal? I know your hurt, but you don't have to be rude about it."

"Yeah, Snowkit, lighten up," Brokenkit said.

She glared at him, then at me, "I will not '_light up.' _Do you think I feel _good _right now?"

"No, but stop acting like a newborn kit!" I said.

"I'm not," Snowkit snarled. "Now leave me alone!"

"Fine," I said. "Guess you don't want any help."

"Um, guys," Brokenkit spoke up. "You might wanna' take a look at this."

"You _never _watch where you're going!"I suddenly exploded.

"Oh, so now it's _my _fault," Snowkit said. "Wonderful. Blame it on the one who _fell on the ground._"

I hissed at her. "I can't believe you! I was _waiting _for you! If we had just charged inside the territory, do you know what would've happened?"

"I don't _care." _Snowkit said. "Why do you always have to know _everything? _You only make the rest of us look like mouse-brains! I've had enough of it!"

"GUYS! LOOK!" Brokenkit screamed.

I looked over and saw a group of cats. They were all staring at us, scowling. Thick muscles rippled beneath their pelts.

"ShadowClan," Snowkit breathed.

"Yes," The cat who spoke was a dark black tom, and his green eyes pieced into ours. "And do you know where you are?"

"Um," Brokenkit gulped. "ShadowClan territory

"Very good!" A tan she-cat meowed sarcastically. "These Thunderclan bozos actually know something!"

"Thunderclan?" I asked. "Wait, you think we're-"

"Oh, we know you are," The black tom replied. "Do you know what you have done?"

"Trespassed on your territory?" Snowkit asked nervously.

"Yes," the black tom answered "And do you know what we do to trespassers who try to steal our prey?"

"Well, technically, we haven't trespassed. The border's between us," I said. "And we haven't stolen any prey. We don't even know how to hunt."

"Don't lie to us!" the tan she-cat screeched. "Now answer the question."

"Um," Brokenkit meowed "I'd rather _not_ answer that question."

"Fine," the black tom said "Skip the questions. You're coming with us."

"You can't make us," Brokenkit meowed.

"Um, we kinda can," the black tom smiled evilly.

"But we haven't done anything-"

"And you think I care? Warriors, surround them. We're taking them to camp. Brokenstar can deal with them."

As soon as he gave the word, the patrol of cats surrounded us.

"Now, march!" They all pushed us forward, deeper into ShadowClan territory.

_What are we going to do?! _

I watched Brokenkit and Snowkit padding in front of me. Brokenkit had his ears down. He looked so scared. He glared back at me, as if he was saying, "How could you do this?"

I just frowned back at him, feeling ashamed. I had brought us into this danger, and now we would probably be killed. Even if we did manage to get away from this, Bluetail would be furious.

After a moment, Snowkit looked back at me. I was surprised when I realized that she wasn't glaring at me. She was trying to tell me something. I leaned in as close as I could.

"Shift. Get away from here," She whispered.

"But-"

"Hey, stop talking!" One of the Warriors bellowed.

_This is the only way, Icekit. _

I stopped walked, causing the ShadowClan Warriors to ram into me.

"Hey! Keep walking!"

"No."

"What did you say to me?" The Warrior was right in my face now.

"I said 'no,'" I replied. I smirked at him, and shifted into a hawk again. The Warrior stared at me in shock.

_Snowkit, fly. Go. _

_ "No, I'm not leaving without teaching these ShadowClan cats a lesson."_

_ But we're not supposed to show them our powers!_

_ "Well you already have!" _

_ Fine. Go. _

Snowkit suddenly lashed out, freezing every one of the ShadowClan cats.

_Yes! That was amazing! _

_ "Thanks."_

"Whoa!" Brokenkit exclaimed. "Why didn't we think to do that earlier?"

I shrugged.

I turned around, and suddenly fell down. When I sat up, I saw that my tail feathers were frozen under the paw of the Warrior who had yelled at me.

_Snowkit, a little help, please? _

Snowkit looked over at me.

_"Sure," _She turned to Brokenkit.

"Can you unfreeze Icekit over there?" She asked

"Sure," He replied. After setting himself on fire, he began prancing around, singing, "la, la, la, la, la!"

This, of course, set everything around him on fire, the trees, the blocks of ice Snowkit had created, and finally, I was free. But so were _all _over the other cats.

"_BROKENKIT!" _Snowkit shrieked. "What did you _do?" _

"What does it matter?" Brokenkit shouted. "Run!" He charged away.

_No, don't run! They'll be able to catch us! Fly!_

I heard Snowkit shouted something, and I saw her and Brokenkit take off. I lifted off of the ground right after them, hoping that I could catch up.

"Wha-what?" I heard a ShadowClan warrior say as I rose. "How do they-"

I turned around and stared at them, and watched the fire spread all throughout the pine trees.

"Guys, our territory is on _fire!" _One of them finally pointed out.

Then they all ran away, screaming.

I laughed, and followed my littermates back home.

_ "Didn't expect that to happen,"_ Snowkit remarked.

_No. I thought that…I don't know what I thought would happen, actually. _

_"Well, plans can go wrong sometimes, but that doesn't mean we need to give up." _

I smiled. _Thanks. _We flew in silence for a moment.

_"Icekit?"_

_ Yeah?_

_ "I…I'm sorry about before. I freaked out. I was just mad because I ran into you, and then ended up on the ground."_

_It's fine. I understand, Snowkit. I didn't move out of the way!_

_"That doesn't matter! I was rude to you when you wer only trying to help me!" _

_Snowkit,let's just forget it and move on. We're sisters! We can work it out! _

_ "Okay, thanks,Icekit. Hey, what's that down there?"_

I looked down into the forest and saw a small gray shape.

_It's Earthpaw! _I replied.

_"Oh no…if he knows it's us, we'll be in big trouble…"_

_Oh great…_

When I looked back down, I saw that Earthpaw was getting closer. He was flying up to us.

_What do we do? _

_"We broke the rules, Icekit. We're just going to have to face it."_

I sighed.

Earthpaw eventually was flying next to me. He smiled at me, then flew ahead to Brokenkit and Snowkit. I could hear them murmuring to each other.

_"He wants us to land."_

_Fine. _

I swerved down as fast as I could, and then waited for my siblings on the ground.

I shifted back to myself right as they landed.

"Where were you guys?" Earthpaw didn't look mad at all.

"We…um…went to ShadowClan," I said quietly.

"You-" He stared at us wide-eyed. "And you showed them your powers."

I nodded. "But it was the only way! They would've taken us a prisoners!"

"You wouldn't have been prisoners if you hadn't left the hollow in the first place," Earthpaw's scolding made me ashamed, but I could tell that he was more worried about us than mad.

"We're sorry, Earthpaw," Brokenkit said right away. "But we're okay."

"I know. But you could've _really _gotten into trouble there," Earthpaw said darkly.

"We know," Snowkit said solemnly. "But we got away. And don't worry, Earthpaw. Everything will be fine."

"We'll just have to hope they don't recognize you when we go to ThunderClan," Earthpaw said, standing up. "Now, let's get back home; it looks like it's going to rain."

"Recognize us?" I asked. Earthpaw turned back to me for a moment.

He sighed. "Don't worry about it, Icekit. Just don't go back there, okay?"

I nodded. "I'm sorry we didn't listen to you. We were bored."

"It's okay, now, get inside," Earthpaw said softly.

When I walked back inside the hollow, Bluetail was still inside his den, snoring.

"He didn't even know we were gone," I murmured.

"Or care," Snowkit added as she padded beside me.

"Snowkit! That's rude!"

"Well he didn't," She replied innocently.

"Bluetail is our father, and we need to respect him," I said. "No matter what he is like. Snowkit, he cares about us. He really does."

She snorted. "Where's your proof?" She padded to our den before I could reply.

I looked at Brokenkit who was sitting and waiting for Eathpaw. He shrugged. "Hey, Blackkit!"

"He's not here, remember?"I said.

"Yeah…but where did he go?"

Discovering Powers

Part 4

The guide

I padded through the forest, watching everything around me. It was beginning to warm up, and it was getting just a bit uncomfortable. I created a storm cloud, and had it rain on me as I walked.

I kept walking, not really caring or knowing where I was going.

_Why did I leave and disobey Earthpaw? It's not like you had anything planned._

For a split second, I thought about turning around. But something told me to keep going. After a while, I came upon a tree. It looked ordinary; just like any other tree. But something kept me standing there next to it.

"Blackkit," The voice was coming from inside of the tree. When I padded closer, I discovered an opening in the trunk, sort of like my den at home. I went inside, disappointed to find it empty. I'm not sure what I expected, but I know that I expected something.

Suddenly, the inside of the tree started glowing, and a cat appeared. He looked transparent, but still colored at the same time. We examined each other for a moment.

He was a white tom with black paws, ears, and a spot on his side. He looked over exactly like me.

"Finally, you are here," He said.

"You've been waiting for me?" I asked.

The tom nodded. "Many moons. But finally, you have been born, and are old enough to break the rules."

Guilt filled my stomach, "I-I was going to go back!"

The tom smiled, "I know, Blackkit. I know more about you than you do."

I stepped back. This was starting to get a little scary. "How?"

"I am your guide, Blackkit."

I stared at him.

He sighed, "You don't know what that is, do you?"

I shook my head.

"Earthpaw hasn't been doing his job…," He muttered, "Need to have a talk with Snow…" He turned back to me. "A guide is a cat that's usually dead. They pick out their…ur…match, I guess, and help them throughout life. I'm here to help you through anything you need, Blackkit."

"R-Really? You're a dead cat, that I can talk to, and you can help me? You're like my side-kick!" I exclaimed happily.

"Yeah…er…side-kick," The tom said half heartedly.

"Okay, okay, not side-kick. We can just stick with Guide," I said.

He smiled at me. It was a warm smile, one that made you feel good inside. "So…what's your name?"

"Harry," He replied. "And yes, it's a Kittypet name. I lived with Housefolk, but I still belong in Starclan. I'm still meant to be a Guide; I'm your match."

I nodded. "Okay. So…wait. I've heard your voice somewhere!" I thought vigorously for a moment. "I heard your voice in my prophecy!"

"Smart kit," He remarked, then nodded. "Yes, I was one of the voices in the prophecy. That's another thing I'll help you with. From now on, if you need a message from Starclan, I'll make sure it gets to you."

"Cool!" I said. "So…everyone has a Guide?"

Harry nodded. "Yes. But everyone finds theirs at a different time. You're the lucky one; the first of your littermates."

"Really? I was _also _the first one to find my powers," I said proudly.

Harry laughed, "I know, Blackkit. Remember? I know everything about you."

"Oh yeah…" I said.

"So, nothing's confusing you too badly?" Harry asked.

"Nope. I think I've got it," I said. I dipped my head to him. "I'm honored to have a cat like you as my Guide."

Harry smiled again. "Thank you, Blackkit. Now, you should be getting back to the Hollow. Your brothers and sisters will be missing you."

"Okay," I said, dipping my head again.

"Eager to go?" Harry joked. "I thought that you liked me."

"I do," I replied. "But I know that as my Guide, you know what's best for me."

"Smart kit," Harry said again. "I'll see you soon, Blackkit."

"Bye, Harry!" I called, and dashed out of the tree.

As I ran, my heart soared. I had a Guide! And not only that, but I also had amazing powers! Right now, nothing could hurt me. I was Blackkit, the invincible!

_I can't wait to tell Earthpaw! _


	5. Chapter 5

The Journey to Thunderclan

Part 1

Bluetail's Plan

"Where did he go?" I demanded.

"We don't know," Brokenkit replied. His eyes glistened with worry. I knew how close he and Blackkit were.

We had all gone inside the kit's den. We all sat around in a circle, trying to figure out where Blackkit had gone.

"Maybe you should go and look for him," Icekit suggested. "Just in case something's happened to him."

"Yeah, but can I trust to leave you guys here alone?" I asked.

Hurt flashed across Snowkit's eyes, but she stayed silent.

Just as I was about to give up, Blackkit padded into the den.

"What's going on?" He asked. We all just stared at him. For the longest of time we all just sat in silence.

"Where have you been?" I demanded. Blackkit took a step back, looking surprised.

"I-I," he looked Icekit, Brokenkit and Snowkit over, then looked back to me. "If you want to know, then they can't."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Snowkit stood, lashing her tail. "We're you're brothers and sisters too!"

"I know, Snowkit, but this is something only for Earthpaw's ears," Blackkit replied evenly. I was surprised at how calm he was. Usually Blackkit would've lashed out on her, but right now something was going on. Something weird.

"Okay, then c'mon, Blackkit," I walked out of the den.

Once we were settled in my den, Blackkit started to tell me what had happened on his adventure in the woods.

"So, I was walking, just trying to find something to do," He began, "and then I saw this tree. It was hollow in the bottom, so I went inside to, I guess explore. When I went inside this Starclan cat appeared."

My eyes widened. Another prophecy?

"He said his name was Harry, and that he was my Guide," Blackkit said. "It was kinda confusing at first, but now everything makes sense."Oh, just his Guide. I knew how serious this was, but it was much better than another prophecy. The kits were too young for too much confusing stuff.

"You've found your Guide?" I exclaimed. "That's brilliant!"

"Do you have yours?" He asked me.

I nodded. "She was our mom's mom. Her name is Snow-that-falls-from-mountain."

"But…that's not a Warrior name, or a Kittypet name," Blackkit said.

"Yeah, she's from a different group of cats; a Tribe. Their…kinda like a Clan, but they have different customs," I explained.

Blackkit nodded. "But how do you know so much about this?"

"Snowy told me," I explained. "Her mother had told her stories from the Mountains, and Snowy passed them on to me."

Blackkit sighed. "I wish I could have known her."

"Oh, Blackkit," I said, resting my tail on his shoulders. "It's okay."

He looked up at me. "But she died because we were born. It's our fault that's she's gone."

"Blackkit! Don't say that! If it's anyone's fault, it's Bluetail's," I said. "I don't want you to think that it's your fault that she's dead. That was a long time ago, Blackkit. I don't want you to stress about it anymore."

"Okay," He said. "Should we go back to the Hollow now?" He looked a bit happier now.

"Sure."

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

Time passed quickly. The kits grew every day, and each day got stronger, and smarter. With each passing day, I felt less like their babysitter, and more like well…just their brother. After a while, the kits were able to do more things on their own. Bluetail started trusting them to go to the river alone sometimes.

Time seemed to erase most bad things, at least for the time being. Like Bluetail didn't seem to be mourning over Snowy as much. He seemed to go back to being just himself, which could be a good or bad thing, depending on who you are. Most everyone forgot about Tigerpaw, or, I guess just stopped mentioning him. And now Snowkit wasn't talking about Rusty as much as she used to, although I could see in her eyes that she still missed him dearly.

I opened my eyes, still tired from the night before. The kits had stayed up late, partying and playing around. I finally gave up with trying to tell them what to do, and came to my second den a little earlier than usual. I yawned, and closed my eyes again.

Just a few more minutes…

"Earthpaw! Wake up!" Something landed hard on my side. I groaned, and sat up. Brokenkit's scent washed over me.

"Brokenkit, what is it?" I asked sleepily.

"Bluetail has an announcement!" Brokenkit exclaimed.

"Okay, I'll be there in a minute…."

"What's wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. Just…tired…,"I replied.

"Oh. Did we keep you up last night?"

I nodded, closing my eyes again.

"Sorry. But you need to hurry!" Brokenkit said.

"Okay, but please get off of me. You're not as light as you used to be," I replied.

"Oops." Brokenkit climbed off of me. I stood up, facing Brokenkit.

In the past moon and a half, he had grown a lot. Now instead of a chubby little kit, he was growing up, and looked more like an apprentice than a kit. His fur shined in the light from the tunnel.

"Ready to go?" he asked. He voice was a little deeper too.

"Yeah."

When we got back to the hollow, the other kits were already gathered around Bluetail. Brokenkit and I padded closer, and sat down.

I looked the other kits over. They had grown too. Blackkit had gotten taller, and had also lost some of his kit fat. His dark blue eyes were focused on Bluetail, ready to hear what he had to say.

With every day, Snowkit was looking more like Snowy. She had her eyes, and now I noticed she had her fur too; somewhere in between long and short.

Icekit had grown too. Her silver stripes flashed in the light, and her eyes sparkled with excitement. She knew that something important was about to happen.

I turned back to Bluetail, who was still sitting silently.

"Well spit it out!" Brokenkit suddenly shouted.

Bluetail blinked, taken aback.

"Sorry," Brokenkit said shyly.

Bluetail seemed to brush it off, and began to speak. "I've decided, that the kits have been doing well in the forest for the past moon or so."

Moon and a half, I corrected silently.

"And I think that Earthpaw is ready to receive his Warrior name in a few moons," He continued.

I sat proudly; I'd be a Warrior soon. It might not be my life-long dream to be a Warrior like it was Tigerpaw's, but that didn't make it any less important to me.

"So, we are going to Thunderclan!" Bluetail finally announced.

"Yes!" Brokenkit jumped up. A few flames flickered along his pelt. "We're gonna be Clan cats!"

Huh. They're power's are still triggered by emotion. They've still got a ways to go. I found myself smiling; maybe they weren't as grown up as I had feared.

"We really get to train as apprentices," Icekit said. "I can't wait!"

"And we'll be another step closer to completing the prophecy," Blackkit said, looking at Brokenkit. "'To train to be faithful fighters,'" he quoted.

"Oh, yeah," Brokenkit said."We're gonna be the best Warriors ever!" He flattened himself to the ground, a mock look of anger laid across his face.

"But what about us?" Icekit asked.

"Well…It said Snow and Fox will see through new eyes…seeing the Flaming and the Flying," Blackkit said. "So…we're not sure about that part yet."

"But won't we be good Warriors too?" Icekit asked, looking at me. This was one of those rare times when she was actually unsure.

"Of course," I replied. "Why wouldn't you be? Just because the Prophecy doesn't say you'll be a Warrior, doesn't mean that you can't become one."

"Okay," Icekit purred.

"Snowkit?" I noticed that she hadn't said anything. "What's wrong?"

She looked up at me, tears forming in her eyes. "We'll be even farther from Rusty."

"Oh," Dread sank inside of me. In the past moon, I had made the ridiculous assumption that Snowkit had forgotten her friend completely. Not until now did I realize how silly that was.

"Snowkit, you can't see him now anyway, remember? He was taken away, just like you said," I said. "So now, when we go to Thunderclan, you could be moving closer to him."

"Yeah…," She was silent for a while.

My gaze drifted over to Bluetail, and to my surprise, I found that he was staring straight at me. Warmth flooded his gaze. I could tell that he was proud of me for trying to cheer my sister up. At the same time, I felt that he should be the one over here, trying to make her feel better. Didn't he have any emotion for anyone else?

"We're leaving tomorrow at dawn," Bluetail added quietly. "Try to be ready to leave by then."

Then he disappeared into his den. I watched him, still a little perplexed.

Try to be ready by then? What's that supposed to mean?

Suddenly I was seeing flaws in my father's attitude that I hadn't noticed before.

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

That night as I slept, my dreams were swirled and fogged. When I opened my eyes, I was in a lush forest, filled with the dark of the night. I stood up, and looked around, tasting the air. Usually, I don't dream like this; where I'm conscious of what's going on.

I kept tasting the air, and suddenly recognized a scent.

A white sparkling she-cat stepped through the trees.

I dipped my head. "Snow."

"Earthpaw," She said gently. Her voice reminded me of Snowy's; just as warm and gentle, but Snow's had a certain ring of authority.

I looked up at her. "What have you come to tell me?"

"There's…," She paused, looking a little guilty. "Another prophecy for you."

"But…we already have two!" I exclaimed. "How am I supposed to figure all of this out?"

"Earthpaw," Her tone was still gentle. "The only reason there are so many is to make all of this easier. You have a really important destiny, and the easiest way to help you is by giving you prophecies. Do you understand?"

I nodded. "Of course. I honored, actually, that Starclan would choose to help me. I'm ready to hear it."

She smiled at me. "I'm glad I'm your Guide, and not…," She trailed off. "Never mind. Here's the prophecy:"

" Earth will cross into Shadow. The Flame shall be extinguished, Snow will melt, Fox will wither, and the Storm shall continue on."

"What?" I asked. "That doesn't make any sense at all!"

"Earthpaw, you know I am not allowed to tell you what it means," Snow told me.

"In other words, you have no idea what it means," I replied.

"Well, even if I did, I couldn't tell you. It is for you to figure it out on your own," Snow told me.

I dipped my head again. "Very well."

Then everything started spinning. Starclan's hunting grounds disappeared, and suddenly I was blinking in bright sunshine. When I sat up, I realized that I had stayed in my regular den all night. I shivered, despite the fact that the sun was shining brightly. I stood up, and walked stiffly out of my den into the hollow. I sat there, thinking about the prophecy.

Am I going to tell the kits about this? Should I worry them even more than they should be? It is my prophecy, so I probably should just keep it to myself.

Earth will cross into Shadow…Am I going to….Shadowclan? Does this mean that I don't belong in Thunderclan with everyone else?

A pang of worry hit me. That couldn't be true! Why would I ever dream of going there? They already hate my brothers and sisters, so what's to keep them from tracing me to them? Shadowclan wouldn't ever let an outsider in, especially if I'm Bluetail's son, who has Thunderclan blood.

Who says you have to tell them all of that? I suddenly found myself trying to find ways to convince the Shadowclan cats. But who says that I actually want to join?

I'd be alone, with no family. Snowkit, Blackkit, Icekit and Brokenkit would miss me so much, and imagine what would happen to Bluetail! I couldn't make him go on without me; not after Snowy died! He'd fall apart in front of his Clan!

"Earthpaw! You're up!" It was Brokenkit. He padded over to me. "Are we leaving soon?"

"Probably," I tried to sound happy, but this Shadowclan business was really starting to bother me.

"Cool," Brokenkit said. He studied my face, and seemed to see that something was bothering me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said quickly. "Everything's fine. Now, why don't you go and get Bluetail up? You know how he likes to sleep in."

Brokenkit frowned, as if it he didn't believe that I was okay. "Okay." He padded into Bluetail's den. A moment later I heard a loud, "WAKE UP!"

I sighed.

Not what I meant, Brokenkit. Not what I meant.

The Journey to Thunderclan

Part 2

Leaving Home

"Okay, kits, let's go," Bluetail said. He started leading the way out of the hollow. My brothers and Icekit followed after them, but I stayed back. I was excited to go to Thunderclan, but I still didn't want to leave the hollow.

Earthpaw suddenly turned around and looked at me. "Are you okay?"

"I-I, I'm scared to leave," I admitted. "How is this going to work, Earthpaw?"

"What do you mean?"

"Will Thunderclan accept us, just like that? Doesn't that seem kind of strange?"

"Well, Bluetail's sister is the Leader, and I'm sure that she would love to have her kin in her clan. She's not going to turn you away, Snowkit," Earthpaw said.

When he said that, it made me feel a little better. "Okay. Then let's go." I followed him away.

… … … … … …

I smiled. Snowkit seemed much happier now that I had talked to her. All of the kits seemed happier, actually. They all walked as if they knew where there were going was important, and it was.

Everything seemed to be going fine, when suddenly there was a groan next to me. I looked over and saw Brokenkit.

What's wrong now?

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm bored," Brokenkit said.

"Traveling isn't all fun and games," I told him. "It takes work."

"I know, but I'm tired," Brokenkit groaned. "And this is taking way longer than it did when Icekit, Snowkit and I went together."

"Yeah, but you were using your powers then," I told him. "You were flying, so you were going much faster."

"Why can't we just fly now?" He whined.

"Because Bluetail can't and because if you guys use your powers, you'll be too worn out to get away if ShadowClan sees you. You know that they'll recognize you in a second," I replied.

Brokenkit sighed. "I guess."

"Brokenkit, you've got to know that not everything can go your way," I suddenly said. "It's not all about you."

He looked a little surprised. "Yeah, I know that. How about you?"

"What's that supposed to mean? If you're saying I'm selfish, then I take back everything I've every taught you; you're powers, the prophecy, the flying."

Brokenkit scowled. "Now you're not being fair!"

"Oh, so it's about being fair," I replied hotly. Usually, I would've just given him his way, because it wasn't worth fighting. But today I had had enough; I was stressed about my dream last night, had to keep the kits in order because Bluetail was too busy to care, and also travel at least to ShadowClan territory by night fall. "You know what? You're just a kit. I couldn't expect you to understand."

Brokenkit stopped walking. "Are you saying that I'm mouse-brained?"

"What? No!" I suddenly realized what I had said. "Brokenkit, I-"

"Just forget it," Brokenkit said, and padded forward to walk with Blackkit.

I wanted to called out and make his come back to me, but I knew that it was no use. He was mad at me, and for now, that was that.

… … … … … … … … … … … …. …

I sighed. "I'm tired." I didn't want to whine, but right now, my paws ached and I felt like I would fall down at any moment. If I was whiney or not didn't really matter to me right now.

Icekit yawned, "Yeah. We'll probably stop soon. The sun is setting."

"Good."

A rank scent suddenly filled my nose. "Ew." Icekit stopped too and wrinkled her nose. Next to us, Blackkit and Brokenkit both scowled in disgust. Bluetail had stopped a few paces ahead of us.

"We've made it to ShadowClan," I whispered. Icekit nodded.

"It looks very familiar," Icekit remarked. "I think we're at the same spot as before."

Bluetail turned around, "Don't cross over this scent line. This is ShadowClan territory."

We all nodded.

"Are we resting here tonight?" Blackkit asked. Bluetail nodded.

"Finally! Rest!" I said. "Should we help make nests?"

"No, Snowkit," Bluetail said, and for a moment, I saw warmth in his eyes. I stepped back, wondering if something was wrong with him. "You all have walked a lot today, more than you ever have in one day. You can rest; Earthpaw and I will make nests and hunt."

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

I sighed. Now I had to help hunt.

Wait…if you hunt, you'll have a chance to get away to ShadowClan, and maybe convince them to let you join. This way, the kits won't know I'm gone until it's too late, and if Bluetail tries to get me back, they'll shred him…

"Earthpaw? Why are you smiling like that?" It was Blackkit, who was looking up at me. Then I realized that I was smiling almost…evilly.  
>"Huh? Oh, no reason," I said, "I'm just happy that we're closer to where we need to be."<p>

"Okay," He didn't look convinced, but he did turn around to sit with Brokenkit.

"I'm going hunting!" I called as I started to walk away.

"No, Earthpaw, you stay here," Bluetail said. I stopped, sighing. "I need you to make the nests; I'll hunt."

And what difference would that, make father? I gritted my teeth. "Fine."  
>I made nests for everyone, and by the time the sun had set, we were all settled in for the night. As I settled down in my nest, I thought more about how I was going to get away.<p>

I could wait until they're all asleep, and then sneak off.

I closed my eyes, and waited for everyone else's breathing to slow. Just as it seemed I could sneak away silently, I felt a brush of fur against my back. I lifted my head slowly and saw Brokenkit, curling against me.

I sighed. How could I get away now? If I moved, I could wake him up, and risk a huge explanation that really didn't need to happen.

Wait, I thought that he was mad at me! I smiled. He must be doing it unconsciously.

For that split second, I could never imagine leaving my little brother. For that moment, I wanted to just hold onto him, because he mattered so much to me.

You hurt him, a nasty voice in my head told me. You need to get out of here before you hurt the rest of them.

I'll just have to try and leave tomorrow night, or even early in the morning.

The Journey to Thunderclan

Windclan Attack

Part 3

"C'mon, Brokenkit, you're falling behind!"

Since when is he in charge of me? Blackkit has acted like he was in charge ever since we got our powers.

I sighed, and followed the rest of the group. Now that we were on our second day of traveling, I'd learned a thing or two, one of them being that traveling is very boring. You don't do anything but walk, and walk, and walk. Then you get tired, but guess what? You still have to walk. But there's more! Every day that you're traveling you do the exactsame thing. You wake up, eat, walk, eat, sleep, then do it again.

I sighed. "Can't we get to Thunderclan already?"

Bluetail looked back at me. "It's just a little ways from here. All we have to do is go through WindClan's territory."

"Why didn't we just go through ShadowClan territory?" Blackkit asked.

"Do you know how dangerous they are?" Earthpaw asked. "They're the most bloodthirsty out of all of the Clans."

"Although traveling through any territory is dangerous," Bluetail added.

Snowkit and Icekit shivered. I rolled my eyes. ShadowClan wasn'tthat bad. Sure, they were scary, but that doesn't mean that you have to be terrified of them.

Now I noticed that we were walking through marshland. The wet squishy mud oozed between my paws. It was like when we played at the river, only way muddier, and there was no water.

"Ew!" Icekit said, wrinkling her nose.

"We're almost out," Bluetail murmured. I looked back at Earthpaw, who was quietly walking at the back of the group. Usually hewas the one to comfort us, not Bluetail.

As the day went on, the marsh disappeared, and was replaced with a hilly landscape. Rocks broke through the surface of the grass, shining white in the sun. It got tiring to walk with the dry mud on my paws. I wanted to stop and wash it off, but Bluetail insisted that we at least get to WindClan by night.

Soon Bluetail led us up a steep hill. I dug my claws into the ground, determined not to fall back down. Once we were at the top, Bluetail stopped.

"Is this WindClan?" Snowkit asked, her eyes bright.

Bluetail nodded. "Now, as we pass through here, you need to be quiet. Just because this isn't ShadowClan doesn't mean that we can yell. I want silence." His eyes were fierce.

We all stared at him, a little shocked. Bluetail may ignore us from time to time, but he was never exactly…harsh with us.

"Understand?" Bluetail's voice was a little softened a little. We nodded. "Okay." Then he led the way the rest of the way up the slope, and through WindClan territory.

As we walked, I looked around us. A huge expanse of moorland stretched out in front of us, and to both sides. There were hardly any trees; just moorland and open sky. The wind blew through and ruffled my fur, chilling me.

I gritted my teeth, and tried to follow everyone else.

Suddenly there was a brush of fur against my side. I glanced over, and there was Earthpaw, walking beside me. I looked away from him. He had called me mouse-brained!

I don't know what's been going on with Earthpaw, but it's definitely something weird. Usually he's always there for all of us, to do anything that we need. But lately he's been kinda moody and not as friendly as usual. Maybe he's stressed out from traveling.

I glanced back at him for a moment, then away again. I wasn't going to talk to him no matter how stressed he was. I quickened my pace, and tried to catch up to Blackkit who was a few paces ahead of me.

"Brokenkit."

I turned and glared at Earthpaw. "What?"

"Are you okay?" For a moment he truly looked concerned; just like the Earthpaw I used to know.

I stared at him for a moment. "Am I okay? Why are you so worried?"

He looked hurt now. "Brokenkit, I know that you're still mad at me."

"Yeah. What's it to you?"

"I'm your brother. Is it bad to be concerned about you?"

"No, but you haven't been so concerned lately," I told him.

"I'm sorry for saying those things to you," Earthpaw said quietly.

What should I say? Should I forgive him?

What are you thinking, Brokenkit? It's Earthpaw! Of course you should forgive him!

"That's okay," I said. "I was being a little too cocky then."

Earthpaw smiled. "C'mon, let's go."

I followed my older brother across the moorland, itching to get to Thunderclan.

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

I pricked my ears as we entered a thicket. Something didn't feel right. I didn't like the idea of crossing WindClan territory in the first place, and now not being able to see where I was made it even worse. Snowkit walked beside me, looking around warily.

"I hope we get to ThunderClan soon," She whispered.

"Yeah," I whispered back.

"Why are you whispering?" Brokenkit asked.

Bluetail whipped around, "Shh! We don't want any patrols to hear us!"

"Too late."

I stepped back as four lithe cats stepped out of the bushes. Bluetail and Earthpaw stepped in front of the rest of us, shielding the other cats from view.

"What are you rogues doing on our territory?" One of the cats asked.

"Rogues?" Blackkit asked. "What rogues?"

The WindClan cats ignored him. "Well?"

"We're just passing through," Bluetail told them evenly.

"To where?"

"ThunderClan," Bluetail replied. "We're going home."

"Wait," A she-cat stepped out of the group. "You're not…Bluetail, are you?"

Bluetail exchanged a glance with Earthpaw, and then looked back at the WindClan cats. "Yes. I'm going home. And if you could just-"

"We're going to have to escort you home," The first WindClan cat interrupted. He nodded to the WindClan cats, and then formed a circle around us.

"That doesn't quite make sense," Earthpaw spoke up. "We're going to where we live! If you take us home, then you'll be trespassing on our territory."

"So? We just need to make sure that ThunderClan knows we've returned their long-lost Warrior," The WindClan cat didn't seem to care what rules were broken as long as he got credit.

"And their 'wittle kits!" Another WindClan said. He looked like an apprentice, and a young one at that.

"We're not little!" Brokenkit charged up to him.

"Um, yeah, you kind of are," The apprentice replied.

"You don't know what I'm capable of," Brokenkit said darkly. I knew he was referring to his powers, and I silently urged him not to blow in front of these other cats.

"Oh, can you sleep? I'm so sacred!" The apprentice said sarcastically.

"No," Brokenkit said grimly. "I can-"

Bluetail cleared his throat loudly, warning Brokenkit to close his mouth. Brokenkit glanced at Bluetail, and then looked back to the apprentice. "Never mind."

"Huh," The apprentice said arrogantly. "Guess I was right."

"Scorchpaw," One of the WindClan warriors warned, "don't be rude. He's only a kit."

Scorchpaw rolled his eyes.

Brokenkit stared at the warrior and unsheathed his claws. "So what if I'm a kit? That doesn't mean that I can't do stuff!"

Bluetail sighed. "Can we please just go?"

"No," The first WindClan cat said. "We'll take you home."

Brokenkit growled. "Let us go home!"

"Ow!" Blackkit jumped away from Brokenkit's side. "Brokenkit! Your fur's hot!"

The WindClan cats stared at Blackkit like he was crazy. They didn't understand how Brokenkit's fur could be too hot to touch.

Brokenkit ignored Blackkit and glared at Scorchpaw. Scorchpaw stared back smugly.

"What are you looking at?" Scorchpaw taunted.

"Scorchpaw," The warrior warned again.

"I'm looking at you," Brokenkit replied angrily, and that's when the sparks started flying off of his pelt. "But not for long."

The other WindClan cats seemed to notice that Brokenkit was about to burst into flames, while Scorchpaw seemed oblivious to the situation.

"Scorchpaw, forget this! Let's get out of here!" The warrior called, backing away. The rest of the warriors backed away, too.

Scorchpaw kept smiling smugly at Brokenkit. I wondered how in the world he could not see the flames.

"Leave. Now," Brokenkit growled.

Scorchpaw snorted. "Fine. You're annoying anyway." He turned around, and that's when Brokenkit exploded.

"THAT'S IT!" Brokenkit leaped after him, and shot a ball of fire straight at Scorchpaw's tail. Scorchpaw screamed, and ran after the other Windclan cats.

Brokenkit watched smugly. "Wimp."

"What did you just do?" Bluetail demanded, stepping in front of Brokenkit.

Brokenkit looked surprised. "I…"

"How could you show your powers to another cat?" Bluetail looked angry beyond belief. He looked to Earthpaw. "I thought you told them!"

"I did," Earthpaw replied. "But that doesn't mean that he's not going to show anyone. Our powers are triggered by strong emotions, dad. When that mouse-brained Windclan cat insulted him over and over,I think he kinda had that coming for him."

Bluetail sighed. He looked a lot calmer now that Earthpaw had explained, but he still looked worried. "But now those cats know about Brokenkit's powers. They might spread it at the next gathering."

"No they won't," Earthpaw replied. "They have no proof that it was Brokenkit that caused the fire."

"Then what's our excuse that he didn't do it?" Bluetail asked.

Earthpaw looked thoughtful for a moment. "We deny that this ever happened."

"That's not going to work," Bluetail said. "We've caused a huge dilemma."

"It'll have to," Earthpaw said.

"But that's lying!" Snowkit suddenly protested. "That's wrong."

Earthpaw looked at her sadly. "That's what has to be done, at least for now."

"We can't lie!" Snowkit replied. She looked to Bluetail. "I thought you said that when we came to the Clans that we'd be safe. If we lie, then we're not safe. We cause problems for ourselves and others."

For a second she didn't even sound like herself. She sounded much wiser. I stared at Snowkit for a moment, wondering who she sounded like.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing," I told her, then looked up and Earthpaw and Bluetail. "Snowkit's right. We shouldn't lie about what happened."

"There's nothing else to do," Bluetail said sadly. "But don't worry; I'll sort all of this out with Bluestar when we get home. C'mon, kits, let's go." He began to lead the way.

The Journey to Thunderclan part 4

Part 4

This is Not Thunderclan

I scampered after Bluetail, still shaking from out encounter with WindClan. Who would've thought that cats could be so protective? It was just a piece of land, and they wanted us off of it so bad they were willing to escort us off of it. I was glad when the moorland disappeared and turned into a normal forest. It felt way more familiar here.

I was walking and looking around at the trees when suddenly there was no ground beneath my paw. I looked over, and found that I was standing on a huge slope. I gasped and looked around. We were all standing in a gigantic hollow, with four giant trees standing at each corner. Everyone stood silent with awe. Earthpaw broke away from the group and started pacing around the hollow, always looking up.

"What's that?" Brokenkit asked. He had noticed a gigantic rock that was sitting in the center of the hollow.

"Oh, that's the Great Rock," Bluetail said proudly. "Leaders sit there during Gatherings, so everyone can see them." When everyone sat silent staring at him, he asked, "Don't you know what a Gathering is?"

"Um, no," Snowkit said. "Not really."

"I've never…told you?" Bluetail asked, blinking in confusion.

"Nope," Earthpaw said, who was suddenly back with the rest of us. "You've only told me and…" His voice trailed away. I realized Earthpaw's hesitation to mention Tigerpaw, and for a moment, I felt a little bad. Tigerpaw had had to leave, and only because Bluetail had a few issues with him.

"So," I said, breaking the silence, "tell us about gatherings."

"Gatherings are when all four clans come together on the full moon," Bluetail began. "The leaders tell all of the clans about stuff that has happened in the forest."

"And you get to meet other cats," Earthpaw put in, "and learn about all of other Clans." His eyes were bright, and I realized that, like us, he'd never been to a Gathering either.

"Can we get on with this?" Brokenkit asked. "I want to go to ThunderClan!"

Bluetail nodded, purring a little. He led the way out of the hollow, and then we were on top of a ravine. I looked down over the edge, and tried to not to start shaking.

"Careful, Blackkit," Earthpaw murmured, and used his tail to pull me back to safety. When I had straightened up again, I looked around.

On this side of Fourtrees, there were huge leafy trees, birds tweeting, and the sound of a river rushing not too far away. I knew that this had to be ThunderClan.

"Where's the camp?" I asked.

"Down the ravine," Bluetail replied, surveying the rocky ledges to the ground. My stomach did a flip. Walking down that didn't sound so safe.

Even though I was excited to be in ThunderClan, this huge ravine was about to make me change my mind. I wanted to turn around and go back to our original home, all the way back to the hollow. But I knew that I couldn't do that. I had to face my fear, and climb down the ravine. ThunderClan warriors had to be brave, and facing your fears takes bravery.

"Okay," I said, going to stand next to Bluetail. "Let's go then."

Bluetail leaped down to the nearest ledge, and the long journey down began.

Bluetail led us carefully down the ravine, having to help us at some places. Sometimes, he had to pick us up, and lower us to the next ledge, which by the way was very embarrassing. Earthpaw helped us out, too, but the way he helped was much better; he let us do the moving, but was always there to catch us if we were about to fall.

When we finally got to the bottom, the sound of the river was nearer, but I still couldn't see it. Now the trees looked taller, and for a second I felt trapped.

Snap out of it! This is your home! You can't be scared of trees!

When I tasted the air, I could smell a lot of cats, but I couldn't tell where they were. I knew that the camp was nearby, and I couldn't wait to get there. Earthpaw leapt down behind me, followed by Brokenkit, Snowkit and Icekit. Bluetail jumped down last, panting a little.

"Where's the camp?" I demanded. Bluetail was the last one down the ravine. He stood beside me, panting.

"Over-"

"Bluetail! Look!" It was Snowkit.

I irritatingly moved my eyes to my sister.

"Yes, Snowkit?" Bluetail asked.

"Look over there!" Snowkit was jumping up and down now, her eyes bright. "Over there! Through the trees!"

I glanced over to where she was beckoning, and I could see something shining.

"I see, Snowkit. Now, we really need to-"

"Can we please go over there? I really want to see it!" Snowkit was pleading, and her eyes were huge and sad.

"I-" Bluetail looked like he wanted to argue, and I was ready to move on; whatever was over there wasn't important. But then suddenly the unsure look in his eyes melted. "Of course. Let's go."

Bluetail merely walked away, leading us all away from Thunderclan. Snowkit followed, twitching her tail happily. Icekit followed them, though she went slower.

Earthpaw paced after them, looking relieved for some reason.

"What was that?" Brokenkit was next to me now.

"I'm not sure. I think I just saw Snowkit act like a little brat to get what she wanted," I replied.

Brokenkit nodded. "Yup. When did she start acting like that? Doesn't anyone else care about going home?"

"I do," I assured him.

He glanced at me. "Good. Now…I guess we have to follow them."

I sighed. "I guess…Can't we just find the Clan ourselves?"

"Probably wouldn't work," Brokenkit said. "It's too confusing here. I guess we have to go."

"Yeah. Maybe whatever's over there will actually be exciting."

"I doubt it. Who wants to go and look at puddles of water?" He wrinkled his nose.

"It's just water? How do you know?"

"Heard Icekit say it before she left."

I scowled. "Great. We're going to look at water."

"Brokenkit! Blackkit!" It was Earthpaw. "C'mon, you two!mYou don't want to be left behind!"

We followed after the group, breaking into a run after a few seconds.

As we got closer, I started to see a fence in the distance.

Are we near Twolegplace?

The three of us caught up to the rest of the group, and we found Bluetail, Snowkit and Icekit all looking down into the water. I smiled smugly when I saw her staring blankly into the puddles.

Not what you expected, hmm?

But as we padded closer, Snowkit glanced our way, and a smile broke onto her face, and her eyes sparkled again.

"Look!" She exclaimed. "Isn't this water so pretty?"

Brokenkit and I stood staring at her, but Earthpaw stepped forward, purring. "Of course, Snowkit! These puddles are awesome. But, you know, we really need to go home, and-"

"Bluetail," Snowkit interrupted, "can we play here for a while?"

Earthpaw stood blinking in bewilderment.

"Of course, Snowkit."

What else was he going to say?

Brokenkit grumbled under his breath, and started lashing his tail. "Sisters..." He turned around.

"Earthpaw," I asked, when the others had moved away "why did you just let Snowkit interrupt you like that?"

Earthpaw turned towards me, glancing over his shoulder. His voice was low when he began to speak. "Okay, look, this is something with her powers."

I pricked my ears. "You mean, Snowkit's not being a brat on purpose?"

Earthpaw shook his head. "Nope. Snowy told me about this; she said it happened when she was young, and I have to admit, I think it happened to me, too."

"So...what's going on with her?"

"This is a stage with powers. It's not very common; it only happens with certain types of powers. The same thing doesn't happen to every cat that goes through it, but I'm still pretty sure Snowkit is having it right now. In this stage, the certain cat becomes...somewhat more appealing to others. They have a certain quality about them, and during this stage, it's enhanced. They also begin to have some strange obsession with something, like, for instance, small pebbles," he paused, looking embarrassed. "And, from that, tend to get what they want."

"This doesn't happen to every cat, right?" I asked nervously.

"Nope," Earthpaw shook his head. "But it did to Snowkit. I'm pretty sure her enhanced quality is her eye, and her new obsession is water. This is making her senses very sensitive to water. She's going to be able to find it easily, and talk about it all of the time."

"And...Bluetail knows about this, too?"

"No, actually, he doesn't," Earthpaw admitted. "He's going along with what Snowkit says because she's reminding him of Mom. Snowy had water powers, and the same eyes Snowkit does. How could Bluetail resist?"

I nodded, understanding. "So it's like he's under her control."

"Just about," Earthpaw agreed.

"So, how long does this last?"

Earthpaw shrugged. "I don't think it lasts that long, but then again, I'm not sure; I don't really remember it happening, if it happened to me. Snowy told me it only lasts a couple days- if we're lucky."

I gulped. "And if we're not lucky?"

Earthpaw's eyes turned dark. "Moons."

"Oh no," I said. "I hope we're lucky."

Earthpaw nodded. "Me too."

We both turned, fur prickling with shock when we heard a loud shriek. I glanced over, and there stood Brokenkit, sopping wet, near a giggling Snowkit and Icekit.

"WHAT was that for?" Brokenkit demanded, shaking his pelt.

Snowkit shrugged. "We just thought that you might want to have some fun."

"That's wasn't fun," Brokenkit muttered, and turned away.

"You better go and explain what's going on," I told Earthpaw.

Earthpaw nodded, and headed in Brokenkit's direction.

I sat watching them for a moment, even though they were out of ear-shot.

"But Earthpaw!"I made out Brokenkit's voice. "I can't even get a spark on my pelt! I SOPPING wet!"

I shook my head, mostly because I couldn't believe what my family had come to. First, we had found out we had powers. Then, Tigerpaw was kicked out, and Earthpaw had started to act a little strange. Now, even we, the kits, are starting to fight amongst ourselves.

I gazed around the clearing, hoping something interesting would catch my eye. A ways away, I could see Bluetail sitting and facing a fence, looking up at it.

Curious, I padded over.

"Bluetail?"

He didn't glance my way, but flicked his ears in acknowledgment.

"What's this place?"

We sat in silence for a moment, but Bluetail replied. "This is where I met Snowy for the first time." He laughed a little at the memory. "I was silly...and young then. I ran away from my home, just to be with a she-cat...It seems silly, but still-" He looked over at me- "I don't regret meeting and spending moons and moons with the one I know I was meant for. Blackkit, I have my flaws, and I make mistakes, but I still know that I've made one completely correct decision; and that was running away with Snowy, so that I could be with her. Even if sh walks with Starclan now; I still had those great times with her...," He sighed.

"So, Mom was that amazing?"

"Yes, Blackkit. She was really that amazing. I don't regret any time I spent with her." A dark look came over his face. "Except for one time..."

I had a feeling I knew what that time was, and I didn't dare ask about it. "She...she had powers, too, right?"

Bluetail nodded. "Yes. Amazing powers, too. Just like Earthpaw's. Well, not EXACTLY. They're alike because they are both able to do so much with their powers."

"What kind of powers did she have?"

"Water," Bluetail replied. "Ah, how she loved the water...You'd think she was a RiverClan cat; she swam so well."

I purred; my mom truly did sound amazing. I was proud to have such a lovely she-cat as my mother.

Suddenly, from behind us there were some loud squeals, and the sound of a loud yowl. I whipped around, and there was Brokenkit, Snowkit, Icekit, and a Twoleg.

The Twoleg was holding a hard shiny webbed box, with a latch on it. I had a sick feeling I knew what that box was for.

"Run!" I screamed, but it was too late. Snowkit, Icekit, and Brokenkit we all scooped up, and thrown into their own individual webbed-thing. And there was Earthpaw, running here and there, trying to save them, but even he was caught.

Now all that was left was Bluetail and me.

"Bluetail," My voice was shaking. "What do we do?"

Bluetail was standing frozen with shock. He wasn't blinking, or even breathing. He was only standing there, like Snowkit had frozen him or something, but I knew that he was only terrified out of his mind.

"Dad!" It was Earthpaw. "Get help from ThunderClan! Get Bluestar and the Warriors!"

Suddenly Bluetail was alive again,and he raced into the trees, leaving me alone to fend for myself.

"Earthpaw! What do I do?" The Twoleg was rounding on me now, getting closer with each second.

"Blackkit," Earthpaw sighed. "Just...let them get you. Please. This is the easiest way; so we'll all be together."

"What? No!" The Twoleg was getting closer.

"Please. Their probably only going to take us inside, and then put us back when they realize how rambunctious you four will be!"

"No! Earthpaw...I can't. I just can't!" I exclaimed, backing up.

"Then...run to ThunderClan! Follow Dad's scent trail! Go!" Earthpaw commanded, and the ground started to shake. He sounded urgent, but also a bit sad. I knew that he wanted to be the safe one; the one going to get help.

"Okay! We'll get you out guys!" I promised.

"Hurry Blackkit! Save us! Please!" I could hear my littermates begging for me.

"I will!" I turned and raced for the bushes as fast as I could, not looking back.


	6. Chapter 6

Bluetail Returns  
>Part 1<br>He's Back!

Graypaw

I yawned, blinking in the dawn light. There was no time to be sleepy; not now that I was an apprentice.  
>And that was two whole moons ago...Ah, life has never been so good. Hunting, border patrols, and sleeping in the apprentices den was amazing. Not to mention Willowpelt had stopped being so protective now that Bluestar had trusted me with my apprentice name. Deep down, I knew that she knew I was a good cat. She told me that I wasn't bad, and that my apprentice ceremony had be long overdue; the only reason it had been held back was because of none other than my mother.<br>While I was still in the nursery, Dustkit, Ravenkit and-ew-Sandkit, had all gotten their apprentice names and mentors. It was terrible how I had to sit and watch my friends-and Sandpaw- with their new mentors. At least they weren't in camp all of the time.

"That's what you get for risking you life," Willowpelt would tell me as she licked her paw, "When you risk your life, limits are set." Whenever she'd say that, I just grumbled, and would walk and sulk in a corner. Of course, that did nothing to help me.

And then, finally, it was my apprentice ceremony. I was happy to finally have 'paw' at the end of my name, thus making my name 'Graypaw!' I was even more happy with my mentor; Lionheart.

Across the camp, Redtail popped out of the Warrior's den. He padded proudly to Highrock, waiting for a few more cats to wake up. We met eyes, and he beckoned me over.  
>I padded over, wondering what kind of patrol he would send me on.<br>"Good Morning," Redtail said formally. "Would you please find Lionheart and inform him that we will be going out on a hunting patrol?"  
>My heart leapt with excitment; hunting! My favorite!<br>"Yes," I told him, trying not to jump up with happiness. "I'll find him right away."  
>I slipped over to the Warrior's den, and (lucky me!) Lionheart was just padding out.<br>"Hi Lionheart!"  
>"Good Morning, Graypaw," He said. "Have you asked Redtail about any patrols yet?"<br>I nodded. "We're going hunting with him, actually."  
>"Great. Let's head over there."<br>I padded back to Redtail, happy as could be. So far, I'd be in for a Sandpaw free day. (Which is the best kind of day, just to let you know.) I hopped over, closing my eyes contentedly.  
>"Well open your eyes, you dope!"<br>I opened my eyes, and there was Sandpaw, standing next Redtail.  
>"Who made you in charge?" I demanded evenly. "Besides, you're not even on my patrol. Go find Whitestorm; he's your mentor."<br>"Actually," Redtail cut in. "Whitestorm's sick with a fever; so I"m filling in for him today. Sandpaw IS my daughter, after all."  
>"Oh," My stomach dropped. "That's...great."<br>"Why's it great?" Sandpaw asked tauntingly. "Because my Dad's the deputy and you want to impress him?"  
>"What? Er...no!" I exclaimed. But it was true. Going hunting with Sandpaw was my LEAST favorite thing. I only said it was great so I wouldn't get in trouble. If I got on Redtail's good side, then maybe he'd report how well I'm doing in training to Bluestar, and I'd get my Warrior name early!<br>"Then why's it so great?" Sandpaw asked.  
>"Because...I love hunting with you." I said, gritting my teeth. "It's my favorite! You're my best friend!" I forced a smile, and wrapped my tail over Sandpaw's shoulders.<br>Redtail smiled at us, and turned. Lionheart followed, but glanced over his shoulder at us, confused. He knew how much I hated Sandpaw. I winked at him, and he turned back around.  
>"EW!" Sandpaw said, throwing my tail off of her shoulder. "I don't know what you're pulling, Graypaw, but you better stop it RIGHT NOW!" Then the anger in her eyes melted, and sadly, was replaced with a look of evil. "Oh, I forgot, you're not GrayPAW; you're GrayKIT; mister little drop-out because he didn't know that there were such things as RULES." She smiled deviously, and followed her father and Lionheart out of the camp.<br>I hung back, my head throbbing with anger.  
>"Wow."<br>I turned around, and there was Ravenpaw. After the incident with Fourtrees and the River, we had never really become friends again, but Ravenpaw would still back me up from time to time, and I'd still watch out for him.  
>"What?"<br>"I can't believe what I just saw."  
>"What did you just see?" I asked, looking around.<br>"You LIKE Sandpaw!" Ravenpaw said, his eyes wide.  
>"What? Like?" Then I realized what he had said. "EW! NO! NO! NO!NO! I. DO. NOT!" Suddenly I closed my jaws, realizing that half the camp was staring at me now.<br>"Yeah, sure," Ravenpaw winked at me.  
>I growled at him. "Why don't you go and find Tigerclaw, then?"<br>His eyes widened with fear. "Um..."  
>Tigerclaw was Ravenpaw's mentor, who he was terrified of. Tigerclaw hasn't always been in our clan. One day, about a moon ago, Tigerclaw showed up on the border. He said his name was Tigerpaw, and was a pureblood forest cat. After showing the senior warriors his amazing hunting and fighting skills, Bluestar welcomed him into the clan. He also said that he was about ten moons old. Usually, you have to be twelve moons old to become a warrior, but some strings were pulled for Tigerclaw, probably because of his fighting skills.<br>"Okay, okay. I'm sorry!" Ravenpaw said. "I'll keep your secret!"  
>I rolled my eyes.<br>Good enough for now...  
>"Graypaw!" I recognized Lionheart's voice. "Where have you been? We're going hunting, rememeber? Hurry!"<br>"Bros?" Ravenpaw asked quickly, seeing Lionheart.  
>"Bros," I agreed. We touched tail-tips, and I raced off after my mentor.<p>

"Oh, look, the little kitten finally caught up," Sandpaw remarked sourly.  
>Normally I would've smacked her over the head, but right now I couldn't risk it; not with Redtail here. The worst part was that Sandpaw was aware of the whole thing, and was using it to her advantage.<br>So I just smiled at Sandpaw and walked next to Lionheart.  
>We veered in the direction of Twolegplace.<br>Why are we going here? What prey would hang around Twolegs?  
>But as we got closer, I could smell all kinds of scents around me.<br>Lionheart cleared his throat. "How about we split up? You and Sandpaw, and me and Graypaw."  
>Redtail nodded. "Sounds great. We'll head this way."<br>Redtail padded away, and Sandpaw skipped after him, giving me a sour glance over her shoulder.  
>I sighed in relief. "How did I manage to live with Sandpaw for that long?"<br>Lionheart chuckled. "Well, you've lived with her for this long; a little longer shouldn't hurt."  
>"Yes it will," I groaned.<br>"Graypaw, Sandpaw's a good cat; really, she is. You just have to get to know her better first. And because you guys have your little...'feud' it might be hard to see that. But it's okay; everyone dislikes someone. Like, I had a friend once, -Bluetail-, and he absolutely hated Redtail."  
>I nodded. "Yeah, I think I might remember...wait...nope."<br>Lionheart laughed. "Let's get to hunting."  
>I crouched low, and pricked my ears, scanning for any sign of prey.<br>After a few moments, I could hear a small scrabbling in a nearby thicket. I glanced back at Lionheart, and he nodded for me to get it.  
>I crawled nearer, careful to be as quiet as possible.<br>Once I was close enough, I sprang up and grasped the shape with my teeth.  
>Ha! The clans going to eat well with THIS piece of prey; it's gigantic, whatever it is.<br>"OW!" The prey called out. "GRAYPAW! GET OFF!"  
>The prey knows my name?<br>"GRAYPAW!"  
>Wait...<br>"Sandpaw?"  
>"YES! GET OFF OF ME!"<br>Suddenly I was on my back, and Sandpaw was looming over me angrily.  
>"What were you doing in here?" I asked, after I had stood up again.<br>Sandpaw gritted her teeth. "I was TRYING to hunt. But that didn't work out. YOU came in lumbering on top of me!"  
>"I was trying to hunt too, you know! I didn't jump on you on purpose!"<br>"Oh REALLY? If I didn't know better I'd think that you were out to get me! You've always hated me, Graypaw, and now maybe, when no one was watching, you were going to take me out!"  
>I stepped back, shocked. Did she actually think I would try to kill her?<br>"What? We may have our disagreements, but I wouldn't try to kill you; you're my clanmate, and you're still a good hunter."  
>Sandpaw didn't reply, but I did see the anger in her eyes melt a little.<br>The bushes to my left began to shake a little, and I turned to inform Lionheart the bad news.  
>"Lionheart, I'm sorry but-"<br>It wasn't Lionheart that stepped through the bushes.  
>The tom that appeared was a blue-gray tom with dark, sad blue eyes. He looked like he had been through a lot, and that he needed to sleep for a moon, but that he hadn't gotten the chance for days. It also seemed as though I should recognize him, but I didn't.<br>Sandpaw instantly arched her back at the sight of him. "This is ThunderClan territory, rogue! Go away!"  
>But I just stood staring at him. Something told me to leave him be.<br>His scent was foreign, yet I could smell WindClan on him faintly. That's when I realized why I had thought that I should recognize him; he looked exactly like Bluestar!  
>The tom ignored Sandpaw, and instead scanned the thicket. Then he looked at me. "Can you lead me to camp? I guess I've forgotten the way."<br>I blinked, shocked. Did this cat expect us to just lead him to our camp?  
>"I-I-"<br>"And WHY would we do that?" Sandpaw demanded.  
>The tom ignored her again. "Please. I just need to speak with Bluestar. I know that you don't know who I am, but trust me." When I still didn't look sure, he looked around quickly, and said. "Have you ever heard of Bluetail?"<br>I nodded. "Of course. Bluestar's lost younger brother."  
>"Yes. And I'm him."<br>How could I have not seen that before? Am I mouse-brained or something? "Oh my gosh! Of course you are! How could I have not noticed? I'm so sorry! Please, come this-"  
>And that's when Redtail leapt from the bushes, snarling, and claws unsheathed.<br>He gave me an icy look. "How could you have just let this intruder onto our territory, Graypaw? I'm very disappointed in you!"  
>Oh, and Sandpaw's not here?<br>"Hey! I'm here too!" Sandpaw mewed indignantly, but was ignored again. Why she wanted to be noticed so she could get in trouble, I have no idea.  
>Meanwhile, Bluetail was sitting calmly while Redtail looked like he was about to shred him to pieces.<br>"Redtail," Bluetail said shortly. "It's me. Bluetail."  
>Redtail paused. "Bluetail?" His voice was suddenly hoarse. "You're...alive?" He didn't sound too happy.<br>Bluetail nodded. Bluetail didn't act too happy to see that Redtail was alive, either.  
>"Urm...Lionheart?" I called out.<br>"What is it, Graypaw? D'you get that mouse?" Lionheart padded into the the thicket, and met eyes with Bluetail.  
>"Bluetail?" He asked instantly.<br>A smile broke onto both tom's faces.  
>"You're okay!" Lionheart exclaimed.<br>"And, wow, look at you!" Bluetail exclaimed. "You're all grown up!"  
>Lionhheart laughed. "You're only two moons older than me, Bluetail!"<br>"I know, but still...you're...older now."  
>"And I have an apprentice," Lionheart mewed. "Please, meet Graypaw."<br>Bluetail glanced at me again, and said, "Yes, we've met. He actually knew who I was when I told him."  
>Lionheart glanced at me. "Good for you, Graypaw."<br>"What about ME?" Sandpaw demanded. I smiled smugly when she was ignored again.  
>Maybe this day's not too bad afterall...<br>"Well, let's get you home," Lionheart suggested. "Bluestar will be dying to see you."  
>Redtail cleared his throat, recovering from his momentary shock. "Yes, then, off we go." He turned.<br>The the bushes rustled again.  
>Urgh how many cats have to be in this tiny thicket? It's getting crowded!<br>But the cat that stepped through the bushes didn't take up that much space.  
>The kit that looked up at us was white, with black ears, paws, and tail-tip. A look of slight relief washed over Bluetail's face.<br>"Blackkit! You escaped!" He exclaimed.  
>Blackkit smiled proudly, glancing over at us, and then back at Bluetail. "Yeah."<br>"Who's this?" Lionheart asked.  
>"This is my son, Blackkit," Bluetail mewed proudly.<br>Redtail coughed suddenly, seeming shocked. "You mean-" He gasped for air, "-you have a mate? A REAL cat?"  
>Bluetail nodded, seeming to enjoy the shock in Redtail's face. "Yes, and five wonderful kits."<br>"Five?" Blackkit asked, but then seemed to realize something.  
>"Wait? What do you mean by 'escaped'?" Sandpaw suddenly asked.<br>Bluetail seemed to notice she was there for the first time. "Well...I-I I'm going to explain it to Bluestar, and then she'll tell you. It's easier this way, so then the story doesn't have to be repeated more than necessary."  
>"Well, if something's happened, we need to get back to camp quickly," Lionheart prompted.<br>Bluetail nodded. "Let's go." He headed off towards Twolegplace. Redtail chuckled deviously, but didn't seem like he was about to correct the warrior.  
>"Um, Bluetail?" Lionheart asked. Bluetail turned. "ThunderClan would be this way." He pointed in the other direction.<br>"Oh, yeah, right," Bluetail turned around, and looked at Blackkit. "C'mon, let's go and meet your aunt Bluestar."

Bluetail Returns

Part 2

New news: Silverpaw  
>I watched Creamfur disappear into the Warriors den, and sighed.<br>Well, tonight's the night.  
>I scanned the camp, and scurried outside. My stomach grazed the ground as I crawled, and I was careful not to hit it too hard. I made my way to the river, and paused before jumping in.<br>I now realized just how dangerous this was. I was meeting a cat from another clan, at night,to tell him about-  
>No!<br>It was too hard to think about.  
>But how are you going to tell him if you can't even admit it to yourself?<br>I looked down at my paws, ashamed. This was too hard. What had we done?  
>"Silverpaw!" There was a hiss across the river.<br>I looked up and saw Graypaw sitting there, his yellow eyes glowing in the moonlight.  
>Purring, I plunged into the river. It was cold, even for me, and as I swam, I noticed that some pieces of ice still clung to the riverbank. Still, the river was able to flow, and I was able to swim without having to worry about falling in a hole and drowning...<br>I finally made it across. I pulled myself out of the water, panting.  
>Graypaw looked concerned. "Are you okay?"<br>"Fine," I grumbled. I wasn't annoyed at him for caring, only because I can usually make it across, and not even be tired. But tonight,or maybe it had even started a few days ago, I hadn't been myself.  
>Graypaw stepped back. "Is something wrong?"<br>I looked at him, and sat down. "No. I'm sorry for snapping. I'm just frusterated with myself. Usually I can make it all the way across without breaking a sweat. Tonight, I could hardly make it halfway."  
>Graypaw brushed against me sympathetically. "That's okay." He winked. "You're still a better swimmer than I am."<br>I brushed him off playfully. "Yeah, but you're a ThunderClan cat."  
>He snorted jokingly, sensing that I was only teasing. "And what's wrong with being in ThunderClan?"<br>"Nothing," I replied, smiling. "It's just that, well, they could use some tips on fur care." I paced in front of him, showing off my sleek fur. Even though it wasn't quite Newleaf yet, my fur still shined from the fish I had eaten.  
>Graypaw watched me, and for a moment, it seemed as though he was paralyzed. His eyes were big with admiration. I purred, and nuzzled against him.<br>"I love you," I murmured. He purred back.  
>"I love you more," He said. "So, why did you want us to meet here?"<br>"I-," I cleared my throat, "I have something I need to tell you. Something that I probably should've told you a while ago."  
>Graypaw leaned back and his eyes widened time, though, they were wide with curiousity, and a hint of worry.<br>"Is something wrong? Did they find out about us meeting? Do I need to leave right now?" He looked around frantically.  
>"No," I assured him. "It's none of that. It's something that's hard to tell you."<br>"Oh no," Graypaw said. "You're going to tell me that you don't want to meet again; that this is over."  
>"No!" I stood up quickly. "No, no, no, Graypaw. I would never say that. I just told you how much I love you. I wouldn't do that and leave. I promise."<br>His eyes were wet, and he swallowed. "Oh. Then what is it?"  
>"It's- Oh, it's no use in trying to stall, or think of a way to say this the easy way. I just have to come out and say it."<br>Graypaw's eyes grew even bigger.  
>"I'm going to have kits."<br>He fell over.  
>"Graypaw?" I bounded over to him, and shook him.<br>He sat up weakly. "Did I hear that right?"  
>"Yes," I whispered.<br>What's he going to say? How's he going to take this? Is he going to freak out?  
>Graypaw sat up and looked me in the eyes. It was hard to read his expression, and I silently pleaded that he would be okay with this. At least he was calm.<br>"Silverpaw," He said, his voice wavering. "This is brilliant! Do you know how long I've waited for this?" He sprang up and started jumping all of the place.  
>"So, you're not- mad?" I asked.<br>He paused. "Mad? Why would I be mad? This is the best thing I've ever heard!" He was next to me now. "I'm going to be a father!" He looked at me, and his voice lowered. "I'm going to be a father. Silverpaw, how do I do that?"  
>I laughed. "Well, don't ask me!"<br>He smiled at me. "Yeah, that was dumb. But still, this is amazing." He looked up a the dark sky, thinking."It's also going to be really hard."  
>I knew that; I'd been thinking about it all day long. Actually, I'd been thinking about that for more than a moon.<br>"I know. We have some hard decisions to make," I told him.  
>Graypaw sat next to me. "Like what?"<br>"First," I said, "we have to decide who's going to know about the kits. Who's actually and really going to know the truth."  
>"Which means some cats aren't going to know the truth," He glanced at me. "We have to lie to some cats."<br>"Yeah, but that's just a risk for our love," I told him.  
>He purred. "I'd do anything for you."<br>"And you know I would do anything for you," I said. "But right now, we have to make some decisions. Who's going to know? Some cats are going to have to, like a medicine cat."  
>We sat in silence for a moment, but then ended up speaking at the same time.<br>"Not my mom," Graypaw said.  
>"Not my dad," I said.<br>We laughed. We both had such strict parents, and it was funny that they were the first cats we thought of to not know.  
>"Okay, that makes sense," I said. "Our parents would freak out. How about the rest of our clans? I guess it wouldn't make sense for the clan to know, and our parents not, but maybe the kits could just live in the clan, and nobody would know that they were ours?"<br>Graypaw nodded. "That could work, but we'd still have to decide which clan they're going to live in."  
>We both stared at each other, and spoke at the same time. "I'm not going to make them leave you."<br>We smiled at each other lovingly. We were so alike, yet so different.  
>"We're speaking at the same time a lot tonight," Graypaw commented.<br>I nodded. "But back to the issue at paw. So, which clan should they live in?"  
>"Like I said, I'm not going to make them leave you," Graypaw mewed. "And besides, kits go to the mothers clan."<br>"But I said that they couldn't you either," I protested.  
>"Silverpaw, you're going to be their mother; they need you more than they need me," Graypaw looked away.<br>"That's not true! They need both of us!"  
>He didn't look convinced. "I can't be a father. I'm barely an apprentice now! This just doesn't make sense! This is so difficult!"<br>"What happened to 'this is amazing?'" I asked.  
>"This is amazing," Graypaw said. "But it's hard at the same time."<br>"That's why there's two of us,"I assured him. "So we can work together. We're going to figure this out, Graypaw, and find a way to work everything out. Okay?"  
>He looked back up at me. "Okay."<br>"I just had another idea. What if half went to RiverClan, and the other half went to ThunderClan?" I suggested,  
>"If there's an even number," Graypaw said.<br>I sighed. "This is hard. I'm out of ideas. What do you have?"  
>Graypaw just sat silently.<br>"Don't you have an idea?"  
>"Yeah, I-I do. It's just, I don't think you're going to like it."<br>"Do the kits live, and are they happy in your plan?"  
>Graypaw nodded.<br>"Then I'm going to love it," I said.  
>"Okay," He said, still looking unsure, "here it goes. The kits, whenever they're born, are born here at Sunningrocks. I can get Spottedleaf to help. She's sweet, and she could keep our sercret."<br>I nodded. "Sounds good so far."  
>Graypaw swallowed, and continued. "After they're born, we take them to live in WindClan."<br>"What?" I stood up. "But-but-they're my kits! I'm not just going to donate them to another clan! They're my kits!"  
>Graypaw shook his head. "I knew that you weren't going to like it." He looked ashamed.<br>I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "No, Graypaw, that's actually the best idea we have."  
>He looked up at me. "You're sure?"<br>"Yes. We can do that." I was deperately trying not to cry.  
>"It may be the best, but it's also the hardest," Graypaw told me. "If you just wanna have them go to live with you..You can tell your clan that you just found them, or something."<br>"No," I said gently. "If we both can't have them, then neither of us can have them."  
>"Silverpaw, these are our kits, you don't have to be fair if you want to actually raise them."<br>"No, this is what I want to do." I was doing my best to be brave for my kits. "Besides, my dad would kill me if he knew I had kits. This will be better."  
>"Okay. Whatever you want to do. Even if you change your mind, just tell me at the next Gathering," Graypaw told me sweetly.<br>I appreciated his efforts, but there was one little detail. "Graypaw, I think that they're going to be born before the next Gathering."  
>His eyes widened. "That's soon? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"<br>"Because I was scared," I admitted. "I wasn't even ready to admit it to myself. I'm sorry."  
>"Hey, it's fine," He nuzzled against me. "Everthing's going to work out, you'll see. Even if we're breaking the warrior code, we'll still figure it out."<br>"Break the code..." I echoed.  
>"Yeah," Graypaw sat next to me, and dipped his head, "Some loyalty..."<br>"Graypaw," I said. "Do yo know why I like you?"  
>He looked up.<br>"It's not becase you follow every rule, or because you can do things the best; it's because you have the one quality that matters most inside a warrior. You're loyal to your heart."  
>He purred. "And I love you because no matter what happens, you never give up." We touhed noses, and he whispered, "Also because you're very pretty, but you know..."<br>I smiled at him. We curled up together on the riverbank.  
>We may have broken the rules, but right now, in this secret, perfect moment, nothing could hurt us; we were in love, and nothing was going to stop it. Our kits may not get to live with us, but they'd be safe, and in the end, that's what mattered.<br>I rested my head on Graypaw's shoulder, and closed my eyes contentedly. I wanted to enjoy this moment for a little while longer.  
>Graypaw leaned over, and whispered, "I hope that our kits are just like you."<p>

Bluetail returns

Part 3

Rescue!  
>Bluetail<p>

I walked in to the ThunderClan camp, partially excited to see my old home, and partially feeling dead inside. Earthpaw was gone. Captured, with little hope of rescue.  
>I shook my head.<br>Don't think that way! Bluestar's going to figure this out!  
>I stood by the gorse tunnel with Lionheart, Redtail, (groan...) Blackkit, and two apprentices. The other cats paid no attention, either just really busy, of not caring that I was back. I wouldn't be surprised if it was because of the second option; I was never popular when I lived here before.<br>Lionheart growled in annoyance. "Can't anyone give respect to a returned warrior?"  
>"It's fine, Lionheart," I told him. "I don't need any attention right now. I just need to see Bluestar."<br>Lionheart nodded in understanding. "Go right ahead. She's been dying to see you since...well since you left."  
>A pang of guilt hit me; I hadn't meant to make my older sister feel that way! Still, it had happened, and I could make it up to her.<br>"Dad, can I come?"  
>I looked down at Blackkit, and nodded.<br>I headed toward Highrock, where the cave underneath formed Bluestar's den.  
>"And where are you going?" Redtail stood in front of me, blocking my path.<br>"I'm going to meet with Bluestar," I said cooly.  
>He scoffed. "Every real warrior knows that you can't do that without consulting me first."<br>"Yeah, every real warrior also knows that when kits are captured, that we should try and resue them. Also, every real deputy knows that they shouldn't act like a jerk. Oh wait, I guess not every deputy." I smirked and brushed past an angry Redtail.  
>I made it to the cave, brushed through the lichen, and-<br>tumbled to the ground.  
>"Bluetail! I thought I caught your scent out there!" Bluestar covered me in loving licks.<br>"Yeah- er- crushing lungs..."  
>"I think I have the right!" Bluestar insisted. "You just left. Not a word to your sister at all. You just left, and I didn't ever think I'd see you again." Her eyes were dark with sadness, and I felt guitly again.<br>"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," I said. "But I had a good reason."  
>"And what would that be?" Bluestar demanded.<br>"Just get off of me first. Please," I pleaded.  
>"Fine," My sister climbed off of me. I sat up, and faced her.<br>"I fell in love," I said simply.  
>Bluestar's eyes glowed. "With a she-cat that wasn't from a clan; I know, and I get it."<br>"So, you're not going to freak out, right?" I asked.  
>She shook her head. "My love was forbidden, too, you know. I don't think I have a right to freak out."<br>I shook my head. "Definetly not."  
>Bluestar swatted me on the head with her tail.<br>"Ow!"  
>"Then don't agree on my mistakes." Her voice was tight, but I could see a glimmer of playfullness in her eyes. Underneath her stress and anger, she was happy to see me. I was happy to see her, too. It'd been a while since I'd seen someone who really understood me. Even Earthpaw didn't know my as well as Bluestar did.<br>Bluestar's gaze moved to the den entrance. "And who's this?"  
>I looked back at Blackkit.<br>"This is my son, Blackkit," I told her. Blackkit stepped forward to stand next to me.  
>"Hi," he said.<br>"Your son?" Bluestar asked. "Why, Bluetail he looks just like you! I mean, besides the coloring, and the face, and tail-length, but your eyes are very similiar."  
>I nodded, laughing a little.<br>"How old is he?"  
>"Um...4 moons," I told her.<br>Had to think about that one...  
>Bluestar nodded. "You'll be an apprentice soon!"<br>Blackkit beamed. "I'm so excited! But, Bluestar, I don't want to be an apprentice without my littermates, or Earthpaw."  
>Bluestar glanced at me curiously."<br>"My other kits," I told her.  
>"Where are they?" Her eyes darkened, as if she knew that the answer was bad.<br>"They've been captured by Twolegs!" Blackkit exclaimed.  
>Bluestar sat back silently. I had known her long enough to see that she was totally distressed. Not only had I disappeared for moon and moons, but when I did finally come back, I'd told her that her kin are gone. She had already had to give up her kits, and now it was like I was making her do that all over again.<br>"I'm sorry," I whispered.  
>"What for? They're your kits," Bluestar said sadly. Then she took a breath, looked back up, and all the sadness disappeared. "We must announce it to the clan. We can rescue them, Bluetail." Her voice was metallic now. She had changed to what I call 'Leader Mode.' My sister is able to hide all emotion, and stand strong for her clan.<br>I nodded. "I hope so. I spent all of their lives telling them how great ThunderClan is, and when I finally try to take them here, they're captured."  
>"Let's get to work," Bluestar mewed lightly. She stepped past me and Blackkit, and out of the den. I saw her leap up, and disappear as she climbed up the Highrock.<br>"What's she doing?" Blackkit asked.  
>"Calling a clan meeting," I said proudly. "She's going to send out a rescue patrol."<br>"Can we watch?"  
>"Of course we can. C'mon, son, it's time you learned some clan customs," I began to lead him out of the den, when suddenly I turned back around.<br>Something hadn't felt right. I had felt something inside of me. Was it pride for my clan? Maybe. But it was also something else. It was like the way I felt around Earthpaw; proud and happy. Only this was with Blackkit. Was I feeling pride for him, too?  
>Have I been neglecting the other kits? I know that I've always watched out for Earthpaw...<br>As I thought about it, I realized I knew every single detail about Earthpaw, but hardly anything about the other kits.  
>Why do I think of them as the 'other kits'? Can't I think of them individually?<br>Have I been neglecting them?  
>"Dad?"<br>I was brought out of my thoughts when Blackkit spoke.  
>"Huh?" I blinked.<br>"Is something wrong?"  
>I shook my head. "No; everything's great. Let's go." I walked out of the den, just as Bluestar's yowl rang across the camp.<br>"Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the highrock, for a clan meeting!"  
>I turned and sat, looking up at Bluestar. Blackkit sat next to me, wonder in his eyes.<br>I scanned the camp behind me, and watched each den as cats came streaming out.  
>The two apprentices from the patrol came out of their den, fighting and scrabbling to be first, and then two more after them. A few Warriors came out of their den, looking tired. Most of the cats were already in the main camp, and they gathered around, somehow not taking any notice of Blackkit or me.<br>Some Elders slowly walked out of the fallen log that made their den. They walked stiffly, but made it near enough to hear what Bluestar was going to say. Inside the Nursery, I could see the Queens watching sleepily.  
>I turned to look at the Medicine den, wondering if Spottedleaf was inside.<br>With a small mrrow she appeared at the entrance to her den, and sat there, watching.  
>Bluestar cleared her throat, "I am glad to announce that my younger brother, Bluetail, has returned."<br>Everyone started talking at once. I couldn't understand anything anyone was saying, but by the tone in their voices I could tell most of them weren't that happy.  
>Great, just the welcome I wanted.<br>I flattened my ears. What had I expected? When I had lived here before, all I had been was a troublemaker, who never did anything for the profit of the clan. I only wanted to come back because I wanted my kits to show the clan that I could be good at something.  
>Which now you realized you aren't. You're a terrible parent, Bluetail. Terrible...<br>"Excuse me!" Bluestar yowled, and everyone was quiet instantly. "As I was saying, we welcome Bluetail back. I know that he has done a lot of bad things to this clan, but that was the past; a long time ago. He has matured, and now he needs our help."  
>"What has he done this time?" An Elder demanded.<br>I wanted to turn and swipe the Elder's ears off, but I had to remind myself that I wasn't out alone anymore; I couldn't just attack anyone who threatened me, especially an Elder.  
>So I just gritted my teeth, and stayed silent.<br>"He didn't do anything," Bluestar said, gritting her teeth, too. "It was Twolegs."  
>Some cats gasped, while other just hissed or growled. With a pang of realization I remembered how rejected Twolegs were here.<br>Snowy was right; they never would've let her stay.  
>"What did Twolegs do?" One Warrior demanded.<br>"They have taken his kits," Bluestar said stiffly.  
>No movement, no sound.<br>Then, one voice, sharp and sour. "Kits? Who would want to be their mother?"  
>Everyone started laughing, and calling out names and other terrible stuff. I flattened my ears again, wishing I could disappear.<br>"Dad, what's going on?" Blackkit's eyes were big. "Don't let them walk all over you."  
>"You're right, son," I said.<br>That's IT.  
>I swerved around, marched right up to the Elder, and hissed in his face.<br>"Their mother happens to be the best cat that ever lived. She was kind, loyal, loving, caring; everything that could possibly be good in a cat. You can say whatever you want about me, but don't you ever go saying anything about my mate. She's done nothing to you. All she did was good to others, so you just shut your jaws." With that, I turned swiftly and padded right back to my spot next to my son.  
>Now that everyone was silent, Bluestar nodded approvingly and continued. "As I was saying-" She eyed everyone before she kept on talking," - Bluetail's kits have been captured, with little hope of rescue. If we want any chance of getting them back, we must act quickly. Bluetail, Graypaw, Lionheart, Whitestorm, Ravenpaw, and I will form a rescue party immediately."<br>Without another word, Bluestar leapt down from Highrock, and stood in front of me.  
>"Ready?"<br>I nodded, and stood.  
>"Bluestar?" It was Blackkit. "Can I come, too?"<br>Bluestar studied him for a moment, and then nodded. "Sure. It's your brothers and sisters we're saving. Just make sure that you keep up, okay?"  
>"Don't worry, I can do that," Blackkit assured her.<br>Bluestar smiled, then looked around to see that the other cats were gathering for the patrol. Lionheart padded over, his face mixed with worry and determination. Then Whitestorm came, (Ooh! Bluetail Fun Fact; He's my nephew.) followed by the gray-colored apprentice from the patrol.  
>Then a black apprentice with a white spot on his chest showed up. I glanced back over at the gray apprentice.<br>He must be Graypaw, unless he's Ravenpaw, and the other apprentice's parents are crazy or something...  
>Ravenpaw stepped in right next to Graypaw, eyeing over everyone silently.<br>"Right. Let's go." Without another word, Bluestar dashed out of the camp. I raced ahead of everyone else, fighting to run beside her.  
>Even though my kits were in serious danger, I found myself drifting off again, (surprise, surprise...) and thinking about times when Bluestar and I were younger. We would always race through the forest together. We always had to compete, see who was best. When one of us lost, there was certainly going to be a rematch sometime soon.<br>"Bluetail, is something wrong?"  
>I was brought back to the present by my sister's voice.<br>"Huh?"  
>"Well, you're not looking where you're going and- Bluetail!"<br>With a sudden burst of pain in my head, I tumbled to the ground. I tried to stand up, but my head was throbbing and everything was spinning around me. I moaned, closing my eyes, hoping everything would stop spinning.  
>"Bluetail? Are you okay?"<br>"I-I...I'm fine...Just give me a second...," I took a deep breath and opened my eyes.  
>There was Bluestar, her blue eyes wide with fear.<br>I blinked, and looked around to find that everyone was staring at me with gaping mouths.  
>"Yeah, guys," I told them, "I'm clumsy. You'll have to get used to it."<br>Bluestar laughed under her breath, and some of the fear disappeared from her eyes.  
>"Let's go." "Are you sure you're okay?"<br>"That's not the first tree I've run into, and it definitely isn't the last one, either," I mewed. "I'm fine. Plus, we have little time. So, lead on, big sis'."  
>Bluestar smiled, and continued to lead on.<br>We made it to Twolegplace without anyone else running into any trees. The sky was beginning to turn pink, and I knew that if we didn't rescue the kits by dark, they'd be doomed.  
>Trying to act natural, I stepped up to the fence where my kits has disappeared before. I took a deep breath, and told myself I could do it.<br>It's just a fence...just a...a fence.  
>I jumped, and scrabbled my way up, and somehow managed to not fall off. I sat at the top for a moment, feeling pride in my accomplishment.<br>"Dad! Wait!"  
>I looked down to see Blackkit scrabbling at the bottom of the fence.<br>"I can't climb! Dad, help!" He really was trying, but whenever he jumped up, his tiny claws gave way, and he tumbled back to the ground.  
>Sad memories flooded my mind. I remembered when I was about his age, right after I had been made an apprentice.<br>We were learning how to climb trees, so that we could hunt squirrels. Everyone else could do it almost perfectly, but when I tried, I just couldn't climb. My claws just weren't strong enough. Of course I had enough strength, but apparently my claws didn't.  
>That's when I started giving up on myself; telling myself I was no good. I became lazy, and clumsy. That's when more cats started to get annoyed by me.<br>But now that I was back, I was going to prove all of them wrong. I would be the best warrior in this clan. I was going to work hard to prove myself.  
>I looked back down at Blackkit.<br>I wasn't going to let him think he was no good either.  
>I leaped back down to the ground, and stood next to my son.<br>"Okay, leap up a little, and grip your claws into the wood," I instructed calmly.  
>Blackkit gave me an unsure look, but did as he was told.<br>"Now, hold on; you're claws can hold you, even if it feels like they can't. Just don't let go."  
>Blackkit shook a little, but regained his grip and held on.<br>"Now, carefully lift one paw, and scrabble your way up."  
>Blackkit clawed his way up, and was soon at the top.<br>"I did it!" He was beaming.  
>I smiled, and climbed up again.<p>

When we were alll inside the garden, Bluestar spoke.  
>"Okay, we're looking for a way inside. The Twolegs wouldn't leave them out here," She said, now in 'Leader Mode' again. She turned to me. "How many of them are there?"<br>"Four others, besides Blackkit," I said, and then added, "There will be a flap in the door; that's what Twolegs put there for cats."  
>"Let's go," Bluestar said, "and try to go unnoticed; we don't want any trouble with the Twolegs."<br>I walked towards the Twoleg Nest, crouching low. My senses were sharp now, watching for any sign of danger.  
>But when I got to the door, there was no flap. None. The door was merely a rectangular piece with no way for a cat to get inside.<br>This is hopless! How will we save them now?  
>I was filled with grief. First, I had been mouse-brained enough to let my own kits be captured, and then when I realized how important it was for them to be rescued, there was no way. I wanted to tip over the Twoleg nest and rip all of their ears off, but there was no way, not even if we all clawed, for us to get in there.<br>I couldn't handle this. I started pacing frantically, back and forth, yowling as loud as I could. Those Twolegs had to hear me and let me get to my kits!  
>"Bluetail! Shh! They'll hear you!"Bluestar had lost the metallic hint in her voice, and spoke like normal now.<br>I stopped and stared at her. "That's the point! I have to get inside. I have to."  
>I started yowling again, and ignored everyone else who gathered around. I didn't care; this was a matter of my family reuniting or not.<br>"Dad!" Blackkit was scared. "Please, you saw them before; they're scary! If they could take Earthpaw, then imagine what they could do to us! Please stop it! We can find another way inside!"  
>I ignored him too.<br>Then there was a sound coming from inside the nest. When I heard it, I knew it was the sound of the Twolegs making their way to the door.  
>One of the them opened the door, and we all scrambled back, staring up in horror. I stopped yowling for a moment, but then regained my confidence.<br>I yowled up at the Twoleg, extending my claws.  
>From the side of my vision, I could see Lionheart and Whitestorm jump in front of Ravenpaw and bristled next to me, and held her ground. Blackkit scrambled to stand in between us.<br>The Twoleg loomed over us, its dark eyes piercing us.  
>Then it held up a metal stick, and pointed it straight at us.<br>Yeah, a metal stick. SO intimidating.  
>But from the corner of my eye, I saw Bluestar's eyes widen.<br>"Bluetail, back away. Slowly."  
>"No. I'm standing my ground. It's just a stick."<br>"Bluetail, not its not; it's dangerous."  
>Her voice was beginning to sound distant, and when I turned to look, I saw that she was backing away. Blackkit was following her, his blue eyes fixed on the Twoleg.<br>I looked to the other side, and Lionheart, Whitestorm, and the two appprentices were backing away, too.  
>Fine, if they want to abandon me. I'll still stand and fight.<br>I hissed again, showing my teeth.  
>The Twoleg glared down at me, and the stick clicked.<br>"Bluetail! Get out of there!" My sister's voice was shrill.  
>I didn't budge.<br>"Bluetail!"  
>Then there was an explosion, and everything went dark.<p>

Bluetail Returns  
>Part 4<p>

The forest was calm, and warm tonight, with stars shining brightly above  
>Across the clearing, a white, transparent she-cat stepped from the trees.<br>"Snowy!" I exclaimed, and charged forward. Even though I was running as fast as I could, I was moving slowly, like I was trapped in quicksand.  
>Snowy looked at me, her eyes warm. She padded lightly over to me. "Bluetail, stop. Relax; it's harder to move here when you're not dead."<br>I cringed. Snowy saying the word dead in that context was killing me emotionally.  
>She smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry. I know that you miss me; I miss you too. A lot."<br>"Snowy...I'm sorry; Tigerpaw-"  
>Her eyes flashed, "It wasn't Tigerpaw's fault, Bluetail. He wanted to prove to you that he could do great things."<br>"So, you're saying it's my fault?" I took a slow step back.  
>Her eyes widened. "No! It's not anyone's fault. It was meant to happen, okay? It was supposed to happen."<br>I relaxed. "Okay. It doesn't make this any easier, though."  
>"It's not supposed to be easy," Snowy said gently, walking slow circles around me. As I watched her, it seemed more like floating, than walking.<br>"Wait...how am I here?" I asked. "I'm not dead, right? I mean, that'd be great,I'd be with you, but...the kits..." I looked guiltily up at Snowy.  
>She laughed. "No, you're not dead. You're dreaming."<br>"But...the last thing I remember is going to save them. Snowy, what happened to me?"  
>She stopped making circles around me and her expression turned grave. "Bluetail, you..." her eyes grew big with pain,"with the Twolegs..."<br>"What happened?" I demanded.  
>"They had that gun...," Snowy stammered.<br>It pained me to see her hurting to badly, which only reminded me that it was all my fault.  
>"You mean that stick?"<br>She looked up at me. "It's called a gun, Bluetail, and it's much more dangerous than a stick. It shoots fire."  
>My mind instantly shot over to Brokenkit, and his fire powers.<br>Snowy smiled warmly, and some of the pain disappeared. "No, not like Brokenkit. Ah...that kit...I wish I could've stayed to watch them all grow up. But I still can..." Her expression changed back to a pained one.  
>"And...well...this fire...it got you. Not in anywhere deadly, like your heart or head, but it still touched you," She looked at the ground, and I could tell she was trying not to cry.<br>Look what you've done to her! Just because you were reckless! She's in StarClan; she's not supposed to be worried anymore!  
>"Shh," I did my best to make my way to her. "It's okay, Snowy. I'm not dead, right? I'll still be there for our kits, just like I always have."<br>She looked over at me again. "Bluetail-"  
>"I know, I know, I've really only been there for Earthpaw. But something made me realize today that-" I paused, staring directly into her ice-blue eyes. "That was you, wasn't it?"<br>She smiled. "Yeah." Then she looked away. "But now...you're...Bluetail, you're hurt! You could very well die!" Now she let the tears flow.  
>"Snowy," I had to do my best to comfort her now. "Don't worry. I'll always be there for them and you. No matter what."<br>"Bluetail, enough with me; I'm dead. Your only priority needs to be the kits. Okay?" Her eyes were wide with seriousness.  
>I sighed. "Okay. But even if I do die-"<br>"Why don't you seem to care?" She stood up. "You might die and you don't even seem to mind."  
>It was true. Dying would almost be better than going back to a Clan that hated me. Here, I would be with Snowy. Here, I would be safe.<br>No! Do you know what you would do to Bluestar? What about all of the kits? That's a terrible thing to think! How could you think that, Bluetail?  
>"Snowy, I'd be with you-"<br>"I told you; enough with me! My life is over! I'm here. You need to stay there. Yes, it hurts me, too, but Bluetail-" Her voice cracked. "I can't have my kits grow up at Kittypets." Her face looked pained again. "Do you know how terrible that is? The constant eating, the petting, the complete control over their lives? None of that is any good!"  
>My mind drifted over to when the kits were younger, when they lived with Star and her kits.<br>Snowy would be really disappointed about that...  
>"No, that was fine, Bluetail," Snowy said.<br>How the heck is she reading my thoughts?  
>Snowy laughed. "StarClan thing."<br>We stared at each other, seeing love in each other's eyes.  
>"Don't worry," I told Snowy. "I'll protect them; I'll get them home to ThunderClan so that they'll be safe."<br>Snowy purred, and sat next to me. She leaned her head on my shoulder, and sighed happily.  
>"That's what I needed to hear, Bluetail," She said sweetly.<br>"Good; glad I finally figured it out," I said.  
>Snowy laughed. "I knew you would, my silly blue-tailed tom."<br>I glanced over at her;something wasn't right.  
>As the moment drew on, I saw that she was beginning to fade.<br>"Snowy!" I stood abruptly, suddenly panicked. "Where are you going?"  
>Snowy looked around, scared for a second, but then saw what was happening. She looked over at me sadly. "I'm sorry, Bluetail; I've got to go now. Be brave. I love you."<br>She was gone after that, and I was left alone.  
>"Snowy! Snowy, no! Come back! Please come back!" It was like she had died again; I was separated from the one cat I never should have been. The pain was too much.<br>I might never see her again...  
>I sat in the moonlit forest alone, and sank into darkness.<br>... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

"Bluetail! Bluetail? Bluetail please! You have to be okay!"  
>Bright sunlight flashed into my eyes. I cringed, rolling over, then wincing in pain.<br>"My leg...," I groaned.  
>I caught Bluestar's scent hovering over me. "Oh my gosh, I thought you weren't ever going to wake up!" She sounded relieved, but a little scared.<br>"We'll, I'm awake now," I said, gritting my teeth in pain. My leg felt like it was on fire. I tensed the muscles in my leg, hoping some of the pain would subside.  
>No chance. Tensing my muscles only made my leg burn more.<br>I unsheathed my claws, and started ripping up the moss underneath me. I slowly laid my leg back down on the moss.  
>"Bluetail!" My sister's voice was shrill. "Spottedleaf, what's wrong with him?"<br>I caught a sweet scent as Spottedleaf padded over softly. I did my best to look up at her. "The Twolegs have those sticks, and they shoot a hard little ball. If a cat is hit with that, there's basically no chance of survival."  
>Bluestar gasped, and the scent of fear grew stronger.<br>"But, Bluestar, there's no need to worry," Spottedleaf continued quickly. "With the ball, there's an explosion. The only part that hit Bluetail was the explosion; the fire, I guess. It barely brushed him, but it burnt some of the fur and skin. It's going to take a while to heal, but in time, Bluetail will be fine."  
>"Oh," The tension in Bluestar's voice was gone now. "Hear that, Bluetail? You're going to be fine."<br>She was talking to me like I was some little kit, and I wanted to snap at her to quit it and stop worrying, but I couldn't. I just couldn't hurt her anymore than she already was. She was worrying about me, so I didn't really have a right to snap at her. Plus, I was in so much pain that talking was like torture.  
>"I...yeah," I gritted my teeth again, "Thanks...Spotted...leaf."<br>"I haven't done anything to it yet, Bluetail, but you're welcome. Well, I've put a little water on it, but I ran out a while ago. And now...I'm not sure I want to put any more because, well, that wound's pretty bad, and water's going to bring you a lot of pain."  
>"Well, you've got to do something," Bluestar did the speaking for me. "He can barely move, it hurts so bad."<br>Spottedleaf nodded. "I know. Hmm..." She padded away, and I knew that she was looking through her herb storage. "Coltsfoot...Goldenrod...hmm, that might work."  
>"Spottedleaf, hurry; you need to do something," I could hear Bluestar shuffling her paws anxiously.<br>"Bluestar, just let me do my job; I know what I'm doing," Spottedleaf replied.  
>"But you have to help him! Please!" Bluestar's voice was desperate. I wanted to reach out and comfort her, but I was so paralized with pain, I could hardly move.<br>"I'm going to help him; I promise," Spottedleaf's voice was smooth and comforting.  
>From the corner of my eye, I saw her walk across the Medicine den, and step behind me. She led Bluestar over to another nest.<br>"Just rest; you're very stressed out from what happened," Spottedleaf coaxed.  
>"I am not! Why are you worrying about me?"<br>"Because," Spottedleaf managed to stay calm somehow. " You're the one who's crying out. Look at how calm Bluetail is being; he must be hurting a lot, but you don't hear him complaining."  
>Bluestar sighed. "You're right." She slumped down in the nest and rested her chin on her paws.<br>"Thank you, Bluestar," Spottedleaf said. She turned quickly, and brought back some leaves and a couple of seeds. Bluestar ate them, and soon she relaxed and fell asleep.  
>"Right," Spottedleaf said, looking over at me, "now for the real problem; your leg."<br>I expecteed her to take a long time, seeing as I'd been awake for a while now, and she had done nothing for my leg, but Spottedleaf worked quickly. She turned again and brought back more leaves and seeds. This time I recognized the seeds as poppy seeds.  
>"Okay...," Spottedleaf murmured, concentrated. She bit the leaves in half, and then carefully rubbed the leaves on my leg. It stung, but after a few moments, some of the pain had dulled.<br>"Better?" Spottedleaf asked.  
>"Yes," I could speak again without too much effort now.<br>"Good. Now, eat the poppy seeds, and get some good rest," She instructed.  
>I chewed up the seeds, and laid my head down again. Sighing in relief, I closed my eyes, only remembering the kits right before I drifted off.<br>...

When I opened my eyes, it was competely dark. I blinked, trying to make my eyes focus. I sat up.  
>Across the den, I could see that Spottedleaf was sleeping soundly. She sighed and rolled over.<br>I turned and tried to see my leg in the moonlight. It looked better, and felt a lot better.  
>Spottedleaf must've put more herbs on it while I was asleep.<br>"Feeling better?"  
>I looked up and saw Bluestar at the entrance to the den.<br>"Yeah," I replied. "A lot better."  
>"Good." She crossed the den and sat next to me. I noticed that she avoided looking at my leg. "Maybe in a few days you'll be up on your paws again."<br>"Yeah, hopefully," I agreed. I turned to her. "And we'll be able to get the kits."  
>Bluestar looked at her paws. "Bluetail, I think...well...it's too dangerous. With what happened with you- we can't have it happening to other warriors, too. It's too risky. I'm sorry, Bluetail."<br>"How can you- Bluestar! I can't believe you! You're giving up because something's too risky?" I was completly outraged.  
>She looked back at me, this time sad. "Yeah. I know that they're your kits, but we can't risk the clan to save them; we've already tried once."<br>I coudn't believe her. This was not the Bluestar I knew. She didn't give up so easily.  
>It's because you got hurt; now she doesn't trust you. She doesn't want you to get hurt again.<br>"Look, I know what I did was stupid; I got hit with an explosion for crying out loud! I couldn't stand being without them. I need them back, Bluestar," I explained. "If we went back, I wouldn't do that again. If we saw the stick, we could run."  
>"Bluetail, I'm not saying this because of you; it's for everyone's safety."<br>"Sure it is."  
>"No, I'm serious! Can you imagine? We'd send out patrol after patrol, and every time the Twoleg's would just bring out that stick again. Eventually, we'd have a whole den of injured cats. I'm sorry, Bluetail, but we can't send out any more patrols; it's too dangerous." She turned away from me, refusing to meet my gaze.<br>"I-I-" I didn't know how to reply. I wanted my kits back so badly, but Bluestar did have a point. Still, how could she care more about the Clan than her own brother?  
>She doesn't, I told myself. She's more than just your older sister; she's a leader, too. It's her responsibilty to keep everyone safe, not just you.<br>"Okay, I understand," I said.  
>Bluestar whipped around, her eyes wide with surprise. "You do? Oh, thank you, Bluetail! I was thinking that you were going to get so mad at me..."<br>"I can't be mad at you," I said. "You're my sister, and you let me come back after I left this Clan."  
>"Of course I was going to let yourb come back! Why would you think I wouldn't?"<br>"Because...before, all I did was cause trouble here. Just like I am now."  
>"Causing trouble? Bluetail, you're a one of the senior Warriors now. Everyone respects you now. They understand you've been through some hard times," Bluestar said gently.<br>"Really? Because, before, at the meeting-"  
>"That was an Elder, Bluetail! What do you expect out of them? One hundred percent kindness? What happened to you when you left?" Bluestar teased.<br>I laughed. "I guess you're right. I have felt pretty welcome here. I just wish...the kits..."  
>Bluestar rested her tail on my shoulder. "Don't worry; they're going to be safe. They have your older son with them, too, right?"<br>I nodded. "Yeah; Earthpaw."  
>"He can keep them safe, right?"<br>"Yeah, he can," I said, smiling. "Earthpaw will keep them safe. He's smart, and strong. I have nothing to worry about."  
>"Good," Bluestar said. "I don't want you to have to worry."<br>"Thanks, sis," I mewed.  
>"Speaking of smart and strong-"<br>"Oh, great," I groaned. "Another story about Redtail?"  
>"Huh?" Bluestar asked. "No! I was talking about Graypaw. You know, one of the apprentices that came with us earlier?"<br>"Oh yeah; he was one of the cats to find me in the forest," I said. "What about him?"  
>"He's going to have an assesment in a few days, and I was wondering if you were okay with coming to help out. I mean, if you aren't feeling well that day, you don't have to, but I really need more cats and-"<br>"Sure," I interrupted. "I'll help."  
>"Great!" Bluestar said. "Graypaw's going to be a great Warrior someday, and I need good Warriors to assess him."<br>I purred at her praise, "Thanks."  
>Graypaw seemed like a good cat, and I knew he at least needed a chance to prove himself.<br>Everyone does, I thought. That's when I remembered Blackkit.  
>"Wait, Bluestar, where's Blackkit?" I asked, panicked.<br>Bluestar smiled warmly. "Thought you would never ask. Don't worry, he's fine. He escaped the Twolegs; Graypaw and Ravenpaw made sure of that. The three became such good friends, I decided to let Blackkit sleep in the Apprentice's den."  
>"Oh," I said, relaxing. "Thanks for making sure he was okay. I'm...not very good at that. I didn't remember him until now."<br>"It's okay, Bluetail. You got hurt," Bluestar said. "And it wasn't me that made sure he was okay. Like I said, it was Graypaw and Ravenpaw."  
>"I'll have to thank them, then," I said.<br>Bluestar nodded. "Well, I'll let you get some rest now. Hopefully you'll feel better tomorrow."  
>"Goodnight," I said, yawning and settling down again.<p>

Blackkit.  
>Warm sunlight entered the Apprentice's den. I excitedly sat up, feeling attentive and ready to go. I looked around the den and saw that Graypaw, Ravenpaw, Dustpaw and Sandpaw were all still asleep.<br>Wonder if anyone else is awake yet...Maybe I can check on Dad!  
>I shot out of the den, and towards the Medicine den.<br>"Hey!" A shrill voice called out. I turned around and saw Sandpaw staring angrily at me from the Apprentice's den. "You stepped on me!"  
>"Sorry," I said, cowering a little in fear. That she-cat scared me.<br>"Don't worry, you're going to be," Sandpaw said evily.  
>"Who's going to be what?" It was Whitestorm, Sandpaw's mentor.<br>"Oh, um, what? I didn't say anything to Blackkit," Sandpaw said.  
>Whitestorm glanced at me, then back at Sandpaw. "I didn't ask if you'd said anything to Blackkit. But now I know you have." He turned back to me. "Blackkit, come over here." When he talked to me, his voice was full of kindness.<br>I paddded over and stood next to him, careful to stay away from Sandpaw.  
>"What did Sandpaw say to you?" Whitestorm asked.<br>"She said I'd be sorry for waking her up," I said.  
>Whitestorm turned to his apprentice. "Sandpaw, you know what this kit has been through; lost his mother, and now lost his siblings."<br>And learned how to use amazing powers, I thought.  
>"He's only a kit," Whitestorm continued, "and I expect you to be nice to him."<br>"It's not fair, though!" Sandpaw wailed. "If he's a kit, why does he get to sleep in here?"  
>"Because, well, where else is supposed to go? To the nursery? He has no mother to care for him there, and he's almost six moons old," Whitestorm replied.<br>"Whitestorm, four moons, isn't almost," Sandpaw said. "And all he's going to do is wake everyone up!"  
>"You're supposed to be up right now, anyway," Whitestorm replied, growing a little impatient. "So if anything, you should be thanking him."<br>"But-but he stepped on me!"  
>"And apologized for it, too," Whitestorm said. "Now, get the other apprentices up; we're having battle training."<br>"Fine," Sandpaw growled, and turned back into the den.  
>Whitestorm turned to me. "She's a pawful..."<br>"You're a good mentor to her," I said. "I've noticed that she argues with just about anyone; the arguments with you are way shorter than the ones with anyone else."  
>Whitestorm smiled. "Thanks, kit. Now, go on and check on Bluetail. I'm sure he'll be glad to see you."<br>"Thanks for your help," I said, dipping my head. I turned around and ran off towards the Medicine den.  
>When I got to the entrance, I paused, and padded in slowly. Strange scents swarmed around me, and everything seemed peaceful.<br>"Ah, Blackkit, come to see Bluetail?" I recognized Spottedleaf's voice from the back of the den.  
>"Yeah," I said.<br>Spottedleaf stepped out of a crevice between two rocks. "He's still asleep. Poor tom, he must really be worn out. Seems to be getting better, though."  
>I looked to my left and saw Bluetail curled up in a nest, sleeping soundly. He looked completely relaxed; a lot different than he did the day before. Scenes of flaming explosions flashed through my mind, and I cringed, closing my eyes.<br>"Blackkit?"  
>I opened my eyes, and there was Bluetail, now sitting up and staring at me worriedly. "Are you okay?"<br>I breathed out slowly. "Yeah...yeah, I'm okay. How about you?"  
>Bluetail examined his leg. Some skin had burnt away and revealed red flesh, but it still looked better than it had the day before. "Yeah, I'm okay...pretty good for a cat who can only use three legs."<br>Spottedleaf stepped closer to us. "You'll be back on all four in a day or two," She promised.  
>Bluetail nodded. "All thanks to you, Spottedleaf. How do you do it?"<br>Spottedleaf shrugged. "I just remember what my mentor taught me, and do my best to help out. It must be strange, after living without a Medicine Cat for so long, and then coming back suddenly."  
>"Yeah, a little," Bluetail said. "Snowy and I always tried to keep herbs around, but we were lucky that nothing serious happened while we were there."<br>"But I though no challenge was too hard for 'ThunderClan's greatest Warrior'," Spottedleaf laughed.  
>"What?" Bluetail asked.<br>"You don't remember? Before you left, I was still an apprentice. You used to joke with me all the time, saying how you were the greatest Warrior," Spottedleaf explained.  
>Bluetail's eyes lit up with realization. "Yeah, I do remember that. I bet you believed me, too, right?"<br>"Eh...sometimes," Spottedleaf winked, and walked back to the crevice where she kept her herbs.  
>Bluetail turned to me. "She probably believed every story I told her. Those apprentices and kits; they believe everything."<br>"Hey!" I said, bounding up to him and batting his shoulder. "We do not!"  
>Bluetail laughed. "Of course."<br>I hissed at him, and crouched low, pretending to be mad. "Take it back; or else!"  
>"Hey, hey! I was only teasing!" Bluetail said.<br>"I know," I said, purring and coming to sit next to him.  
>We both sighed happily and sat in silence for a moment.<br>Things felt different then they had before. Sure, we'd moved away from one of the two places we'd ever known, but that wasn't the only thing. Bluetail seemed like a different cat. He was friendlier, more open, and he seemed to want to spend more time with me now.  
>Did he not want to spend time with me before?<br>I couldn't remember. Even though I knew we lived in the hollow not that long ago, I couldn't remember anything. Somehow the memory of the place seemed distant and fading. All the time we spent there seemed like we had only concentrated on our powers, nothing else.  
>"Dad," I said, "Tell me about the day I was born."<br>Bluetail looked surprised. "Well...Blackkit, that's a hard day to talk about." He glanced over at me. "But I guess I can tell you. Earthpaw and I were going hunting."  
>And Tigerpaw?<br>"Your mom was at home, waiting for a meal. We'd all been hungry for a while, so getting food was really important. Once we got home," He paused, "You were there, lying next to Snowy, and she was dead."  
>"Oh," I said after a while.<br>"You remember the hollow, right?" Bluetail asked.  
>"Of course, we were there only a few days ago," I said. "But I'm starting to wonder what we did there. I know we played in the river and found out powers."<br>Bluetail shot a side glance to where Spottedleaf had disappeared a while ago. "Blackkit, quiet about that."  
>"Oh yeah, sorry," I said, flattening my ears.<br>"It's okay," Bluetail mewed. "Just be careful."  
>I stared at him, confused. Something really did seem different about him now.<br>"Are you okay?"Bluetail asked.  
>"I think I should ask you that," I replied.<br>"What?" His eyes darted quickly to the side, then back at me.  
>"Why are you so concerned about me all of a sudden?"I asked.<br>Bluetail cringed. "So you've noticed."  
>"Noticed what?"<br>"How I've started to notice how I've been acting."  
>When I only stared at him in confusion, he continued.<br>"When we lived at the hollow, I...wasn't the best father," He explained.  
>"Oh."<br>"Does that ring a bell? Do you think I neglected you guys a little bit? I mean, I paid attention to Earthpaw, but even him...," Bluetail trailed off.  
>"I don't really remember," I guess I didn't notice that much. Maybe the others have. If only I could see them again..." It hurt, being without my brother and sisters. Brokenkit especially. He was my best friend.<br>How dare you not think about them! Brokenkit could be trapped or being tortured for all we know, and you're worried about something like if Sandpaw's mad at you or not!  
>"Blackkit, it's okay. You remember living with Star, right?" Bluetail asked.<br>"Yeah, a little."  
>"Well, Snowkit, Icekit, Brokenkit and Earthpaw are probably being treated just you were there. Twolegs can be scary, but they're not terrible to cats," Bluetail explained.<br>"But I miss them. A lot," I said.  
>"I know" Bluetail said, wrapping his tail around me. "And it's okay. We'll get them out. Eventually. But do you think I'm a terrible father?"<br>"I don't remember about then," I said. "That was a while ago. But, Dad, for what I know, all that matters is who you're going to be now."  
>Bluetail smiled. "That's sounds like something Earthpaw would say."<br>"Well, we are a lot alike,"I said, glowing. He had said I sounded like Earthpaw! "Some cats say we're like brothers."  
>Bluetail laughed. "Let's go get something to eat. Maybe I can stand up again."<p>

The next few days passed by in a blur. After a while, I could stand again. Blackkit and I would walk the perimeter of the camp together. We'd talk, and laugh, and I realized I was forming a bond with him; hopefully one that would last forever. I started to realize what being a father meant. It wasn't just about rules, or even protection, but more about holding the family together. Without a mother, I was the only thing my kits had left. They depended on me to keep them all together.  
>So far, I could say that'd I basically failed in that area.<br>But no matter; I had a secret plan to save my kits, just as soon as I healed. I hadn't said a word about it to Blackkit, but I knew he'd want to be in on it right away.  
>As we walked past all the dens, most cats ignored us. Maybe they wanted to give us some privacy, or maybe they just didn't care we were there. My mind drifted back to what Bluestar had said, about how most cats were happy I was back.<br>I hadn't seen any of that yet.  
>A few cats we walked by would gaze at my leg, and pity would feel their eyes. I didn't need their pity. I was fine. I hardly limped anymore, and most of the pain was gone. I would be ready for Graypaw's assessment tonight.<br>I was prepared for anything.

Turns out, I actually wasn't.  
>I left camp just before Sunset, and went to Tallpines. I was happy with how well my leg was doing. I'd hardly had any trouble with it all day. When I got closer, I could see Lionheart, Bluestar and Graypaw all waiting for me. When I got closer, Bluestar turned around, her eyes bright.<br>"Bluetail!" She said. "Glad you could make it."  
>I walked over to Lionheart, and sat facing Bluestar.<br>"So, tonight, we're doing an assessment for Graypaw," She began. When she said his name, Graypaw lifted his chin up, and smiled. "We're going to watch him, and see how he's been coming along. I think we should all split up, and follow him from different directions. Sound good?" Lionheart and I nodded. "Alright, go ahead, Graypaw," Bluestar said gently. He nodded. "Do you remember your assignment?" He nodded again. "Then go on."  
>Graypaw sprung from Tallpines, his tail flying.<br>"All right, I'll be on his left, Lionheart, you take directly behind him, and Bluetail, you take his right," Bluestar instructed. We nodded, and went our ways.  
>I instantly scented Graypaw working his way away from the Twoleg border. I followed to the right of his trail, and soon found that he was turning right. As I continued on, I realized he was working his way back to Twolegplace. Soon, I burst from the trees, and just about ran into Graypaw. I gasped silently, and jumped back into the bushes.<br>I could see Graypaw had stopped; he had scented something. He seemed to notice what it was, and then dashed back into the trees, where he almost rammed into Lionheart. Luckily, Lionheart had known Graypaw's next move, and backtracked a few fox-lengths. He crouched down low in the bushes, his eyes focused on his apprentice.  
>Graypaw stepped closer to the edge of the trees, focused on something. His eyes widened as it padded closer. I couldn't see what it was; there was a tree in the way. I was afraid that if I moved, I'd alert Graypaw, and he'd see me. Plus, he could lose his focus, and whatever was coming would get away.<br>A ginger tail revealed itself from the right side of the tree, and then disappeared again.  
>Fox?<br>No, there was no white tail-tip, and a fox wouldn't be this close to Twolegplace.  
>Graypaw stepped back as the creature moved closer. He rounded the corner of a tree while the creature ventured into the trees. I was astonished at Graypaw's instincts; he knew that the shadow of the tree would hide his pelt well.<br>Then, the creature emerged. My mouth gaped at what it was. It wasn't a fox, or anything really threatening; it was a small ginger tom. He was crouched low, stalking something. I would've thought he was another clan apprentice, until I noticed how big his shadow was. This was no intruder: this was a kittypet!  
>"He's stealing prey…" I heard Graypaw breathe. I gasped, not up until now had I noticed the scent of mouse lingering in the air. The tom crept up on a mouse that was nibbling on a nut, and was sitting on a tree root. The tom continued on, unaware of all of the watching eyes.<br>"I can't let him do this," Graypaw whispered. Then, just as the orange tom was about to pounce on the mouse, Graypaw leapt out, claws unsheathed. "Rawr!" he cried out.  
>I silently face-pawed my self. 'Rawr?'<br>The orange tom's eyes grew wide, but he didn't move. Graypaw leapt on top of him, and the two young toms rolled around in fury. Or maybe it was confusion...  
>Then, all of a sudden the toms broke apart. They stood facing each other, eyes wide. I drew nearer, wanting to see what was happening.<br>OW!  
>I turned around to see Bluestar biting into my tail.<br>"Hey!" I hissed. "I already have a bad leg! I don't need a broken tail,too!"  
>"Wait," She mouthed. I nodded grudingly, and crouched down. Luckily, I was close enough to see the toms, though I couldn't hear them.<br>C'mon, attack him again! He doesn't expect it!  
>I was so into them fighting; I was all tensed up, that I didn't notice that they weren't fighting! My mouth gaped as I realized that they were talking.<br>"How can he do this?"I demanded.  
>"Just wait. Besides, it's not the end of the world; he's only a young kittypet. Maybe Graypaw's lecturing him," Bluestar suggested.<br>"Yeah, right," I snorted, "An apprentice lecturing. When did you start training in that?"  
>Bluestar rolled her eyes. "Fine, we'll go and take control." She turned. "Lionheart, come on."<br>Lionheart jumped up from the bushes. "Coming," He meowed. When he reached us, we all padded over to the two young toms.  
>Graypaw stood up as we drew nearer. "I smell cats from my clan coming." The orange tom looked around.<br>"Where?" He asked, looking around.  
>"Go!" Graypaw warned, "You shouldn't be here!" The tom turned to leave, but Bluestar stopped him.<br>"Graypaw, what's going on here?" Bluestar asked. The orange tom turned around with wide, green eyes.  
>"Bluestar!" Graypaw exclaimed, and crouched down low, then even lower when Lionheart and I emerged from the undergrowth.<br>"Graypaw, your assignment was to stay farther away from the border than this!" Lionheart growled.  
>"I know, Lionheart, I'm sorry," Graypaw said, looking at his paws. I was shocked when the orange tom copied Graypaw. There was something familiar about him...<br>I leaned in closer to Bluestar. "What's the point of me being here?" Bluestar narrowed her eyes at me. She ignored my question, and then turned back to Graypaw.  
>"Who's this?" Bluestar asked.<br>"Oh, you mean him?" Graypaw asked nervously. Bluestar nodded. "He's no threat! He's not another clan warrior, only a Twoleg pet from beyond our borders."  
>When Graypaw said this, the tom said nothing to defend himself. But, I did see a fire in his eyes. Graypaw turned to the other tom.<br>"This is Bluestar; she's leader of my clan!" I heard Graypaw say under his breath, "And Lionheart. He's my mentor. That means he's training me to be a warrior. And that's Bluetail, Bluestar's brother."  
>"Thank you for the introduction, Graypaw," Lionheart meowed. I could tell that he was irritated that his apprentice was talking to a kittypet.<br>"Don't worry," I hissed. Lionheart looked at me, but didn't say anything.  
>"You fight well, for a kittypet," Bluestar meowed out of nowhere, "We've been watching you both. We wondered how you would deal with an intruder, Graypaw. You attacked him bravely." Graypaw looked pleased.<br>"Now, sit up, both of you!" Bluestar turned her attention to the kittypet, "You dont havebto crouch down like that." The tom sat up, but stared at Bluestar with no hesitation. "You reacted well to the attack, kittypet. Graypaw is stronger than you, but you used your wits to defend yourself. You also turned to face him when he chased you. I've never seen a kittypet do that before."  
>The tom's eyes widened at Bluestar's praise; he had not expected it.<br>"I've seen you before, and I've been wondering how you would perform out here. We patrol this border frequently, and that's why I've seen you before. And now, at last, you have dared to place your paws here. Also, you seem to have a natural hunting ability. Sharp eyes. You would have caught that mouse if you hadn't hesitated for so long."  
>"Really?" The tom asked.<br>"Bluestar, what are you thinking? This is a kittypet. He shouldn't have crossed the border, even if it did help with Graypaw's assessment. Send him home to his twolegs!" Lionheart meowed insistently.  
>The tom looked confused. "Send me home?" He asked, "But I've only come for a mouse of two. I'm sure there's enough to go around."<br>Bluestar looked outraged. A blue fire entered her eyes; one I rarely saw. One that I only saw when her Clan was insulted. "There's never enough to go around!" she spat, "If you didn't live such a soft, overfed life, then you'd know that!"  
>The tom shrank back. I did, too, surprised at how angry she as. Bluestar looked like she was ready to rip this kittypet's pelt off, and so Lionheart. In my opinion, they needed to calm down.<br>I turned back to the Kittypets, examining him. What about him was making them so mad?  
>Oh no...<br>Could it be?  
>No...<br>"Rusty?" It slipped out of my mouth. Bluestar and Lionheart whipped their heads around to stare at me.  
>"Bluetail?" Rusty asked, blinking "You're a member of this clan?"<br>"Yeah," I nodded,"this is ThunderClan."  
>"How do you know each other?" Lionheart demanded. I shook him off.<br>"How are you here?" I asked, "The other Twolegplace is miles from here!"  
>"Well, I live with different Twolegs now," Rusty replied, kicking around the dirt under his paws nervously.<br>"Oh," I meowed. Does Snowkit know that? When we rescue the kits, she'll explode with happiness!  
>Bluestar leaned over towards me, looking ever angrier, if that was even possible.<br>"How can you even look at this- this horrible excuse for a cat?" She demanded, "He doesn't understand anything!"  
>I shrugged. "That's because you haven't explained anything," I replied.<br>Bluestar looked like she was going to explode. "Me? Explain the complex ways of the clan to a mouse-brained kittypet?" She asked, horrified.  
>"Bluestar," I said calmly, " Calm down. He's only a kit. Give him a break." Sometimes my older sister could be blinded by anger. In those times, I was the one who always had to calm her down.<br>"Hey!" Rusty spoke up, "I'm not mouse-brained! Or, at least not that bad… And I don't intend to be a kittypet much longer! My whole life I've dreamed what it'd be like to be a warrior, like- like Bluetail, and Earthpaw, and- and- Snowkit!" Bluestar's eyes widened.  
>"You've known?" Bluestar asked, "You've known about warrior's your whole life?"<br>Rusty nodded."When I was four moons old, I still lived with my mother, brother, and sister. One day, Bluetail came to our nest, looking for help."  
>Bluestar snorted, "Doesn't surprise me."<br>Rusty ignored her, and continued on. "My mother fed Bluetail's kits, and raised them until they could live in the forest. Then, one day, they left. That was the absolute worst day of my life. I lost my best friend…"  
>"I'm sorry about that," I meowed, feeling guilty, "But I couldn't have my kits grow up to be kittypets, no matter how true your friendship was."<br>"I know," Rusty meowed, dipping his head, and I saw Bluestar looked shocked.  
>"Kittypet, I am shocked by your words. Not only did you fight off Graypaw, but you seem to have true character too! That's something we look for in Warriors in ThunderClan."<br>Rusty glowed. "Thank you," he mewed, dipping his head again. Bluestar turned towards Lionheart, and beckoned me over. I padded over to them.  
>"What do you think Lionheart?" Bluestar asked, "Could he train to be a warrior?"<br>"I'm not sure," Lionheart replied, "He does have character. But, do you know how long it'd take to train him? It'd probably be even be harder than a regular apprentice! I already have trouble with Graypaw, imagine training a kittypet."  
>"I say that he has a chance!" I spoke up. Bluestar looked at me.<br>"Are you sure?" she asked.  
>"It's worth a shot," I said, shrugging, "If it didn't work out, I guess you could send him back to Twolegplace."<br>Bluestar nodded, considering. "Alright. If he wants to, I'll have Whitestorm come in the morning. And you too, Lionheart." Lionheart nodded. Then, we all turned around.  
>"I have a proposition for you, kittypet," Bluestar began, seeming to choose her words carefully."Since you seem so into clan life, we've decided that if you want to, you can join the clan."<br>"Really?" Rusty asked, "And I'd get to be a real warrior?"  
>"Remember," Lionheart broke in suddenly, "Bluestar is only offering you training. If you cannot train to be a warrior, you must come back here."<br>"It sounds fair," Rusty meowed quietly.  
>"Good," Bluestar mewed, "If you decide to join us, a patrol will meet you at Sunhigh tomorrow. Now, we must be going. Come on, Graypaw." Bluestar, Lionheart, and Graypaw turned to leave.<br>"Goodbye, Rusty, I hope you join us," I meowed before I turned around.  
>"I think I will!" Rusty exclaimed, "And then I'd get to live with Snowkit again! How is she?"<br>"Uh… great!" I said, and then I ran.  
>I just hoped that what I had said was actually true. <p>


	7. Chapter 7

Living with Twolegs

Part 1

_Snowkit_

I groaned, opening my eyes.I felt smushed and flattened, but most of all, trapped. I tried to move around, but then realized there was something on top of me. I tried to stand, but whatever it was that was on top of me was too heavy. After a few moments, I caught Icekit's scent and realized she was what was on top of me.

"Icekit," I hissed. "Get off!"

"Hm?" She was still half asleep.

"Get off of me!" I repeated.

"Yeah, that's nice, Snowkit," She drifted off to sleep again.

"WAKE UP!" I yowled. "You're crushing me!"  
>Icekit shot awake, starting at the sound of my voice. "Oh, sorry, Snowkit." I felt her sit up. I imagined that she was looking around curiously, taking things in, like she always did.<p>

"Wow," She breathed. "This place is...indescribable."

"Yeah,yeah, it's amazing," I said, irritated. "Now get off of me!"

"Sorry, Snowkit; I can't. There's no other place for me to go in here." Icekit told me. "See, Brokenkit's next to us, and Earthpaw's in front of us. There's no other space."  
>"Great," I growled. "How do we get out of this cage?"<br>"I-" Icekit paused. "I don't know." She sounded scared.

"Oh, that's just wonderful," I said sarcastically. "The _one _time you don't know something, I'm about to be crushed."  
>"Oh, stop, you'll be fine," Icekit assured me.<p>

"Says the cat that's on the _top..._" I grumbled.

"Hey, you guys...keep it down...trying...to sleep," I heard Brokenkit next to me mumble.

"We will _not, _'keep it down'," I said angrily. "Brokenkit, get up!"

Next to me, I saw Brokenkit's eyes flash open. He glanced at me. "What?"

"We're trapped in a cage, and you want to _sleep? _What's wrong with you! Icekit, just squeeze in between Brokenkit and me. There's got to be _some _space, if we all sit up."

"Alright, we'll see. Brokenkit, sit up please," Icekit said.

Brokenkit rolled his eyes and sat up. The fur on the right side of his face had marking from the cage bars. He had little squares all over that side of his face. He looked really tired and grumpy, but now was not the time for sleep. This was an emergency. We'd been captured.

_By Twolegs._

Icekit stepped off of me, and sat in between Brokenkit and me. It was a tight fit, but still better than being sat on.

"Now what?" Brokenkit asked after a moment.

Icekit shrugged. "Should we wake Earthpaw up?"  
>I nodded. "Yeah."<br>"Too late. I'm already awake."

Earthpaw sat up, looking dead in the same way Brokenkit had. When I looked at Icekit, I saw that she had the same tired circles under her eyes.

_Do I look like that, too?_

"Earthpaw, how do we get out?" I asked.

"Huh?" He shook his head quickly. "Sorry...I'm having trouble focusing."

"We need to get out of here," Icekit repeated for me.

"Oh...," He sat, staring into space for a while before he seemed to have understood what Icekit had said. "Well, if I had awesomely cool elemental powers, then I'd use 'em to escape." He laid back down and closed his eyes.

"But, Earthpaw," I said, "you _do _have powers. Can you help us use ours to escape?"

His only reply was a soft snore.

"Great," Brokenkit said. "We'll never get out!"  
>Just then, a Twoleg was crouching just outside of the cage. She was looking in at us, smiling. I would've jumped back in shock, but I was already as far back as I could've gone.<p>

"Hello, little kittie witties!" She cooed.

I glanced at Icekit nervously.

"Let's get you wittle kittie witties out of here!" The Twoleg said, opening the door to the cage.

All three of us sprang out of the cage, gasping for fresh air, and glad to have our personal space back.

I glanced around. We were in an area will tall, white walls, and a soft white floor. It looked like a giant square, with no way out.

"Aw, exploring your new home, kitties?" The Twoleg said. She was standing now, and looking down at us, still smiling. She scared me. "Well, c'mon, now, I'm sure you're hungry."

She walked to one of the walls, and suddenly there was a space in the wall! I raced to the opening, glancing back at the last second.

Earthpaw was still sleeping in the cage.

"What's wrong with him?" Brokenkit asked. He looked really concerned.

Icekit stood frozen for a second, trying to think. "I...I don't know. I usually remember things through memories, but...none of these memories I have have any links to Twolegs." She looked terrified.

"Well, guess you'll just have to be dumb, like the rest of us," I said tauntingly. I walked out of the room, smiling smugly.

"No!" I heard Icekit say behind me. "I can't be...average!"

I rolled my eyes.

We were now in another enclosement, but this one was narrower, and there were other openings that I guessed led to other rooms.

"Kitties! This way!" I heard the Twoleg call.

"Does she want us to go in there?" I asked, as Brokenkit caught up to me.

He shrugged. "I don't know, or care. Remember, Snowkit, we're with _Twolegs. _We can't trust them."

"I know. It's just...what if she has food?"

"Food? Really? At a time like this?" He asked. "We should be getting out of here."

"Oh, yeah, like you're _not _hungry, Brokenkit," I said.

"Well, as a matter of fact, no I'm not-" Suddenly his stomach growled. "I mean..."

I laughed.  
>"C'mon, Brokenkit, we're all hungry." I turned around. Icekit was still sitting stiffly in the doorway. "Icekit, I didn't mean it. You'll never be dumb. You've already got too much knowledge. If you don't know a few things, it's okay."<p>

"Yeah, you're still smarter than us," Brokenkit added. "Doi!" He said, widening his eyes and sticking out his tongue. "See?"

Icekit caught up to us and rolled her eyes. "Thanks, guys."

We followed the Twoleg's voice into another room with hard, shiny floors.

"Here you go, kitties!" The Twoleg was holding a bag. She poured the stuff into a dish, and then stepped back .

We stepped up to the dish, sniffing the stuff.

I wrinkled my nose. "_What _is that? "

Icekit was blinking rapidly, suddenly regaining her trail of thought. "Yes! I know this one. One sec." Her face went blank for a few moments, then she turned to us. "This stuff is what Twoleg's feed cats. They expect us to...eat it, I guess."

"You have a memory of Twoleg food?" Brokenkit asked.

She shrugged. "I guess so. See, most of my memories are from other cats, from a clan or something that lived a long time ago. But this memory was actually one of my own, from when we lived with Star."

"You remember living with Star?" Brokenkit asked, his eyes wide.

Icekit nodded. "Don't you?"

He shook his head. "Well, a little, I guess, but not much."

"I remember a lot," I said, my stomach tightening. I was thinking about Rusty again. My best friend. I'd almost forgotten him completely, but of course I couldn't. There was no way I'd _ever _forget my best friend.

_I miss you, Rusty._

_I just wish I knew where you were._

"Oh," Icekit's face was sympathetic. "Snowkit, I'm sorry, I-"

"No, it's fine," I said, standing. "I just...I need to..." I turned and went back to our room, where Earthpaw was still sleeping. I found a corner in the room, and layed down.

Everything inside of me was hurting now. I was so far from Rusty now.

So far.

I'd known for a long time I'd probably never see him again, but I'd been distracted then, too. I could keep my mind off of him. But now that we were with Twolegs again, everything here reminded me of him.

_Oh, Rusty...Why couldn't I just forget you? Why can't I just let go?_

__Living with Twolegs

Part 2

_Brokenkit_

_Great, _I thought, _she's back to thinking about Rusty._

Why couldn't Snowkit just let go? I mean, she was his friend for _two moons. _That's not that long. She just needed to move on. She'd make lots more friends, once we got to ThunderClan.

If we ever did.

Icekit and I ate in silence. The food tasted terrible, but honestly, I was so hungry that it didn't even matter. After we'd cleaned the dish out completely, we just sat staring at each other, silently asking, _what are we going to do?_

"I'll go and talk to her," Icekit offered. She stood.

"No, Icekit, I...I think we should just let her be alone," I said. "She'll get over it eventually. She can't be sad forever, right?"

Icekit didn't reply for a moment. She turned to me with a hollow look in her eyes. "I think she can, Brokenkit."

"What, do you have some memory of a cat that was sad forever?" I joked, thinking of how ridiculous that was.

But Icekit didn't seem to see the humour in that. She just kept looking at me, her eyes still hollow.

"Wait, there _was _a cat that was sad forever?"

She nodded. "And, well, let's just go with...it didn't end well. Sadness can overtake someone. From what I've seen...I just don't want it to happen to Snowkit. She deserves to be happy again. We all do. And the first step to that, is helping her to forget Rusty."

I nodded. "And get out of here."

"Well, yeah, I guess, but it's not like we're in any immediate danger," Icekit said. "We're being fed, and we're safe here."

"We're being fed hard little bits of disgustingness," I corrected. "And sure, we're safe, if you count being held here against our will, 'safe.'"

Icekit sighed. "My point is, first things first. We'll worry about getting out later." She walked out of the room.

"Where're you going?" I demanded, racing after her.

"To talk to Snowkit," Icekit replied.

"But I just said we should leave her alone!"

"And I said that she needs to forget Rusty," Icekit said sharply. "The only way to help her do that is if we support her. You know, show her we're there for her."

I sighed and sat down, and reached a paw up to groom. "Whatever you say, Miss Memories."  
>Icekit continued back to the room, then suddenly stopped, realizing I wasn't following. "Aren't you coming?"<p>

I shrugged. "Am I needed?" I wasn't in the mood to comfort a crying she-cat, even if she _was _my sister. Comfort and support weren't exactly my strengths.

Icekit nodded vigorously. "_Yes! _Now get over here!"

Rolling my eyes, I stood and followed, prepared to meet Miss Teary-Eyed Snowkit.

_This will be _fun.

Icekit took a deep breath and prepared to enter the room. She was probably thinking over what she was going to say; she had that look on her face where she looks directly ahead, raises her ears and stands as still as possible.

But whatever speech Icekit had prepared wouldn't be needed. Snowkit met us at the door, her eyes bright, her tail twitching excitedly.

Icekit blinked in surprise. "But...Snowkit, are you okay?"

Snowkit nodded. "Yeah, fine. Why would you think I wasn't?"  
>Icekit took a step back. "Well, because you left crying-"<p>

"Oh, _that," _Snowkit laughed, "don't worry about it. I'm fine. Really."  
>She looked so light, so careless, that I almost believed her. Still, I knew there was no way Snowkit could've recovered that fast. I glanced over at Icekit, who looked back at me.<p>

"Well, I'm off to get some of that food," Snowkit said airily. She walked past us, flicking her tail lazily as she walked. We watched her round the corner.

We looked up as the Twoleg came out of the room, holding a container of something. It was small, and fit into her hand, and was full of tiny, meaty looking things. They smelled amazing.

I licked my lips and watched her, hoping maybe she'd give one to me. They smelled so good...way better that that food she'd given us earlier.

"Oh, hi kitties, do you want a treat, too?" She asked, and bent down to our level. She opened the jar, and poured out some of the meaty things. The Twoleg smiled and walked away.

"Yes," I said, licking my lips again. "Must have some of these." I opened my jaws to eat one.

"No! Brokenkit, stop!" I looked up. Icekit looked scared. "Don't eat those. They're..."

"Poisonous?" I suggested dryly. "Yeah, right."

"No, I'm serious!" Icekit said. "If you eat one, you'll go insane. Did you see what they did to Snowkit? They've made her delirious! They'll do that to you too, and then we'll never get out of here!"

I sat up, my fur on end.

Icekit bristled. "Is that _all _you can think about? Our escape is not the top priority. It's Snowkit!"

"Well, the Twoleg took care of _that _for us," I responded sourly. "Now, since we haven't been focusing on escape, Snowkit has gone insane!"

"That's not what I meant! Snowkit is our priority because she ate those treats. Not because she misses Rusty!" Her voice was shrill.

"I...Yes, I understand that," I said darkly. "I'm not a mouse-brain. Just because you're so smart doesn't make everyone else a mouse brain, okay? Quit acting like you rule the place! The rest of us have things to offer, too, you know!"

Icekit took a step back. I guess what I'd said had actually gotten through. Her eyes were wide.

"Is that what you really think? That I think I'm better than everyone else?" She asked softly. "Because I don't."

"I-"

"Just leave me alone then," Icekit said. "If you'd rather eat those things, then fine; don't believe me. See if I care. Just go ahead and do what you want. It's not like what I say matters or anything." She sat, looking hopeless.

"Hey," I said softly, coming to sit next to her. "It's okay. Those things will wear off Snowkit eventually, right?"

Icekit nodded slowly. "I think. long as she doesn't eat more."

"They've got to,"I said. "And we won't let her eat more."

Icekit shook her head helplessly. "Sure, I guess, maybe. Brokenkit, this place is doing things to my head. I think I'm starting to lose brain cells, seriously."

"Brain cells?"

"Things that make you smart," Icekit said, over-exaggerating her syllables.

"Okay, okay," I said. "I'm not two moons old. You don't have to talk like that."

"Sometimes I feel like I do," She said, flicking my on the ear with her tail.

"So...what now? Should we keep an eye on Snowkit?" I asked.

Icekit shook her head. "No, I we should just let her be alone for now. We can't talk sense into her if she's still delirious."

"So what do we do?"

Icekit stood. "I think," She said slowly, "we should look for ways of escape."

"Really? Let's go!" I said. Icekit had said we should do something _I _wanted to do. Maybe this place wasn't as bad as we thought. It _was _bringing us closer, right?

Living With Twolegs

Part 3

_Icekit_

This place was going to drive us all insane.

I hated being trapped. It didn't feel right. Still, we weren't in danger of dying, so I guess things could've been a _lot _worse.

I followed Brokenkit through the Twoleg nest. We were searching for a way out. I didn't understand how he could be so concerned about escaping when our sister was acting pretty insane at the moment. Then again, I'd suggested we search.

"What about this?" Brokenkit was looking up at a huge hole in the wall. "Could we jump through?"

"I dunno," I said. "It's pretty high up. Can we reach it?"

Brokenkit crouched down and prepared to jump. Then he sprang into the air, reaching for the hole. His claws scraped the area just below it, but Brokenkit went plummeting back to the ground.

"Guess not," He said, panting.

"Great," I said. "We'll never get out of here."  
>"I thought you didn't really care about escaping," Brokenkit said haughtily.<p>

"I care about leaving, just not when Snowkit's all delirious. We don't know exactly what those treats do to cats. What if they make it so she can't run away? We can't just leave her here."

Brokenkit sighed. "I guess so."

I scowled. "You _guess _so? Brokenkit, we're a family. We're _supposed_ to stick together."

"Yeah," Brokenkit added darkly, lashing his tail, "just like Blackkit stayed with us, right?"

"What, did you expect him to want to be captured with us? Blackkit might be our only hope."

"How so?"

"Think about it. If a Twoleg is crazy enough to want four cats- three of them being kits-what difference would one more make to them?"

"You're saying Blackkit could be used as bait?" Brokenkit asked.

I shrugged. "I dunno."

"But if they can do that so easily, why haven't they come to rescue us?" Brokenkit asked. "Where are they?"

"Well...maybe they're planning. Or maybe they haven't realized what help Blackkit could be yet. I mean, it could take them a while to sort out a logical are a lot of things that could have happened…"

Brokenkit pretended to gag and pass out on the floor. "Too- much- logic-" he gasped mockingly. "Dying- Your brain- holds too much- logic-"

I rolled my eyes. "Or maybe it's your brain that doesn't have enough."

He didn't reply, only continued to fake cough and choke. Eventually he stopped, and lay still, holding his breath and an empty expression.

I sighed. "C'mon, Brokenkit, we've got things to do. Plans of escape, remember?"

He sat up and leapt to his paws. "Oh, right. How are we going to get out of here? Is it even possible?"

"I don't know," I told him. "But we've got to try."

"And what about Earthpaw? He's...not really himself."

I closed my eyes and sighed again. "I know. Brokenkit, there's so many things that can or already have gone wrong. How are we going to fix all of this?"

He thought for a moment. "I don't know _how, _all I know is that we've got to _try. _I mean, we've got _powers _for crying out loud! Surely "we can figure out _something."_

"Brokenkit, you're a genius!" I said excitedly. "Our powers, how the heck could I have forgotten about our _powers?"_

Brokenkit shrugged. "I think we all did. But you have an idea?"

I nodded. "Yes. Quick, go and get Snowkit!"

… … …

_Earthpaw_

"But I don't _understand _this!" I cried, pacing back and forth through the clearing. I was dreaming, of course, seeing as my body was trapped inside a ridiculous Twoleg trap. I was here visiting Snow, my Guide, who just couldn't seem to leave me alone lately.

"But Earthpaw, you see, the point it that you _don't have to. _It's completely fine that it makes no sense. All you need to know is that you can trust me;I'm your Guide," Snow explained.

"This can't be right though!" I said, turning to her. "I can't leave them. They're my family."

"I know. But this is part of your destiny, to-"

"Oh enough about my _destiny!" _I cried. "None of it matters anyway. How can I even get to ShadowClan if I'm trapped in a tiny cage?"

"Again, you have to be patient. All I'm telling you is that once you _do e_scape, you are _not _supposed to join ThunderClan."

"So we're going to escape…" I said. Usually Guides weren't supposed to just tell you plainly and simply what your destiny was, or where you were going to end up. It just wasn't how things worked. Not to mention, a lot of the time, they didn't know the answers themselves.

Snow opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again, losing the thought.

"Well, now that I know that, maybe I'll consider what you're telling me,"I said, sitting in front of her and wrapping my trail around my front paws.

Snow gave me an irritated look. "Okay, so, you're going to escape. The _how _of that is up to you to figure out."

"Yeah, but one little problem. The moment I wake up again, I'll be trapped in a cage, with a throbbing head and no way out."

Snow shrugged. "That's something you'll have to find your way through."

I groaned. "You're my _Guide. _Don't you think it would make just a _little _more sense if instead of giving me confusing prophecies and junk, you gave me actual answers?"

"That's just not-"

"-how things work, I know," I said, finishing for her. "But why can't it work that way?"

Snow sighed. "Earthpaw, it seems as if we have this conversation way more than we need to." She closed her eyes tiredly. "Please, this is your fifth visit to me in two days. Aren't you ready to go back?"

"No!" I said, my voice becoming shriller than I intended. "Don't you understand? When I go back, I can't _think _anymore. I can't _function. _There's no way I can help anyone back there. At least when I'm here, I can get half an answer."

"Earthpaw," Snow said. "Look at me."

I looked up.

"You can do it. I absolutely _promise _you can do it."

"I-I can do what?"

"Get out. But it's up to _you._If I give you _all _the answers, it could mess things up. Understand?"

I nodded.

"Are you ready to go back now?"

"I think so."

Snow nodded, and she began to fade. The starlit sky above me began to swirl into the trees. It was dark for a moment, and then I woke up, my head splitting apart with pain and my legs cramped from the cage.

Living With Twolegs

Part 4

_Blackkit_

"The cats I have chosen to come to the Gathering tonight are Whitestorm, Lionheart, Moursefur, Longtail, Bluetail, Willowpelt, Sandpaw, Graypaw, and Firepaw," Bluetail announced.

Sandpaw sneered back at me. "Sorry, only _apprentices _can come to the Gathering, little _kit."_

I sneered back at her. "So? I'll get to go next full moon, I'm sure of it.I'll be an apprentice by then."

"Whatever," Sandpaw said, standing up and walking away with her tail held high.

"Don't listen to her," Graypaw told me. "She think's she all that. Well, let me tell you she's _none _of that."

"Yeah," Firepaw added. "She's annoying, too."

"I'm so glad you agree," Graypaw said to him. "It's been awesome since you joined the Clan. Someone's always there to agree with me."

Firepaw rolled his eyes. "Uh-huh." He looked to me. "Sure ThunderClan's great with me here, and with Blackkit here, but -"

"Yeah, yeah, you want _Snowkit _to be here too," Graypaw interrupted mockingly. "We get it."

"She's all you talk about," I added.

"You act like you don't even miss them!" Firepaw said .

"I do miss them!" I said, standing up. "It's just, there's not much I can do about it. That makes me mad, so I just try and ignore it. But Bluetail's told me;Earthpaw's going to get them out."

Graypaw and Firepaw exchanged a look before turning back to me. "Blackkit, you realize he's just saying that because there's hardly a chance for them to escape."

I sighed. "Yeah, I know…"

"Maybe _we _could make a plan to get them out ," Firepaw said, a light coming into his eyes.

Graypaw looked unsure. "You mean, like...tonight?"

Firepaw nodded. "Sure!"

"But...how? You've heard what happened to Bluetail! He almost died!" I exclaimed.

"He did not," Firepaw said.

"You weren't there! And he told me! He got really hurt!"

"Oh come on, Blackkit, relax, that was practically a moon ago," Graypaw said.

"So? It doesn't mean we can't get hurt now," I retorted.

"Good point," Graypaw said. He looked nervous for some reason. He looked to Firepaw. "I don't think we should try it."

"What? You're suddenly scared? I thought you weren't scared of anything," Firepaw said.

"I'm not scared," Graypaw said, "It's just…the...the Gathering's tonight! So we can't. Oh, too bad," he finished quickly.

"Uh-huh," Firepaw said slowly. "Fine." He stalked away.

Graypaw watched him leave. "He just doesn't get it…"

"Get what?"

Graypaw looked at me, his eyes widening. I guess he'd forgotten I was still there.

"Nothing." The he walked away too.

The patrol gathered together. I watched as Spottedleaf emerged from the Medicine den, and came to join with the others. Bluestar leapt from Highrock and found her way to the head of the group. I felt someone brush past me and saw that it was Bluetail.

"Do you have to leave me here?" I asked him.

He gave me a sad look. "I'm sorry, Blackkit. You know that you're too young, and I haven't been to a Gathering in moons. Besides, I want to see the other Clans' reactions before introducing them to you. I'll be back later tonight. You can even wait up if you want."

"Okay," I said, and he turned to leave.

I sighed. It would've been a lot easier if my littermates had been there with me. Being a kit wasn't any fun anymore. I wanted to be an apprentice and go to Gatherings and learn to fight. I wanted to be able to run through the forest and hunt. I was done with waiting. Why would anyone want to be a kit any longer than they had to?

… … … … _Graypaw_

I glanced to the left and then to the right. I slowed my pace, letting everyone else go ahead of me. Nobody seemed to notice, which was exactly what I'd wanted. I'd made sure Firepaw had been at the front of the group. If anyone, he would've been the only one to notice I was gone. It wasn't hard to distract him, what with his new obsession with Bluestar. He thought she was amazing, which, she was, but I thought a lot of it had to do with her being related to Snowkit.

Snowkit, Snowkit, Snowkit. That's all that cat ever talked about! That, and Snowkit's relation to everything in ThunderClan. I practically knew the cat myself!

Grumbling a little, I broke off from the group, and slid into the undergrowth. After waiting a few more moments for the sound of the group to fade away, I pushed through the bracken and brambles, and emerged onto the river bank.

I turned for a moment, reaching to grab a stray piece of bramble that had caught in my pelt, when I heard someone coming from the river. I looked up.

"Silverpaw!" I exclaimed.

She came closer, and we touched noses.

"I haven't seen you in forever," I told her.

She laughed quietly, "A whole moon, practically."

"A whole moon, does that mean-?"

"Yes, they'll be here in a couple of days. Have you...talked to Spottedleaf?"

I nodded. " 's really happy for us. She said she can come and help at a moment's notice. I had just have to be able to pass off the news. We're meeting every day until they're born, okay? I don't want anything to happen to you. You said they'd be born before tonight. I'm worried about you."

Silverpaw purred, "Okay. We'll meet here every day at SunHigh. I know it's risky, but, we have to do it. For the kits."

I nodded. "For our kits." I gazed off towards the river for a moment, watching the waves and ripples it created. "I can't believe this is happening."

"Neither can I," Silverpaw admitted. "We're so young…well, eleven moons isn't _too _young, but my father wouldn't be happy. I'm surprised he hasn't noticed yet. Then again, I stay out 'hunting,' most of the day, and don't come back until late, so there isn't much for anyone to notice."

"You're eleven moons old, that's right," I said, "You're almost old enough to get your warrior name!"

Silverpaw sighed. "Maybe then I can raise our kits in peace."

"Silverpaw, you know we agreed to take them to WindClan," I told her.

"Yes, but, I can't even spend a moon with them? Not necessarily as their mother, I could give them to another Queen, and they could live in RiverClan for a while."

I shook my head. "What would your clan think when they disappeared? How would you explain that? Especially when another Queen was raising them."

Silverpaw sighed. "You're right. They can't stay. We've got to give them up."

"I know it's hard," I told her, wrapping my tail around her shoulders. "But it's what's best for them."

Silverpaw didn't reply.

"Are you okay?"

Silverpaw looked over at me slowly, and I saw that her eyes were wide with fear.

I stood up, my fur standing on end. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Graypaw," she said, "the kits. They're coming."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … I was breathless by the time I made it to the Gathering. I shifted my way through the crowd of cats, finding my way to where the Medicine Cats all sat together.

"Spottedleaf," I hissed when she was within ear-shot. "It's time."

Her eyes widened, but she nodded and bent to grab a stack of herbs. She'd been carrying them with her just in case.

"Time for what?" It was Mudfur, the Riverclan Medicine cat.

"None of your business," I snapped. "C'mon, Spottedleaf."

"What's so important that she has to leave the Gathering?" Mudfur spoke up again."This is one of the only times we can speak without worrying about sick cats or if we're going to make it to the Moonstone on time."

"We've got to go," I told them. "I'm sorry, you can talk to her at the next Gathering."

I hurried out of Fourtrees, hoping Spottedleaf wasn't too far behind. I didn't stop until we'd made it back to Sunningrocks and was next to Silverpaw again. I turned and saw that Spottedleaf had followed me and instead of looking bewildered or scared, was completely calm.

"How are you feeling?" she asked Silverpaw.

"Afraid," Silverpaw replied.

"Let's get you into a nest," Spottedleaf mewed calmly. She looked to me. I nodded, and dashed to find the softest moss there was.

… … … …

I sighed. Everything was going to be fine. Silverpaw had done well, and we had one beautiful little tom. He was gray-blue, with a little bit of gray around his muzzle.

Silverpaw sighed. "He's perfect."

"Yes, he is," I agreed.

"Congratulations," Spottedleaf said warmly. "Now, what are you going to do with him?"

"WindClan," I said stiffly.

"Graypaw, you should hurry. If you can take him there before the Gathering ends , they'll find him on their way home."

I nodded. "Silverpaw, you stay here. I can take him."

"No!" Silverpaw said. "I mean, he doesn't even have a name."

"Okay," I said, trying to hide how impatient I was. "Then let's give him a name."

"Rainkit," Silverpaw said, her eyes bright.

"It's perfect, now let's go," I said. "I'll see you tomorrow." I picked Rainkit up gently.

"No!" Silverpaw said again. "I can come with you." She stood up slowly, then looked to Spottedleaf. "Thanks for your help."

Spottedleaf nodded. "Of course. Now," she set some leaves down, "eat these when you return. They'll help your milk to dry up."

Silverpaw sniffled. "Thanks."

Spottedleaf gave us a small smile, then ran off into the forest.

"Let's go," Silverpaw told me.

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Hurry, I can hear the patrol coming!" Silverpaw said.

"You can not," I told her, "you're just worried. Here, can you take him?"

Silverpaw grabbed Rainkit gingerly. I turned and examined the hillside in front of us. "They should come straight through here when they return." I flattened some of the tall grass in front of me, then nodded to Silverpaw. She slowly set our son down in the grass and covered him up with some moss she'd gathered along the way.

She sniffled. "Goodbye, Rainkit. We love you."

I smiled sadly. She already loved him, and she'd only just now met him.

"We do," I told him. "We'll see you around though."

Rainkit only mewled in protest.

"Even though you won't remember us," Silverpaw was in tears now.

"Silverpaw, it's okay. Maybe someday he can learn the truth," I told her, standing closer to her and wrapping my tail across her shoulders."But for now, we have to go, okay?"

She nodded sadly, still crying. We looked at our son one last time. Then we headed back towards Sunningrocks, my tail still laid across her shoulders.

… … …

"Graypaw! Graypaw!" Firepaw's eyes were wide when I entered camp. "Where have you been?"

"Oh- um…"

"Nevermind. Have you heard what's happened?"

I shook my head. "No. What's going on?"

"Brokenstar said that because ShadowClan is the biggest Clan, they need more hunting territory. So they've gone and _chased _WindClan out of their territory. Not to mention RiverClan's allowing them part of their territory for hunting!"

"_What? _Are they insane?" I asked, exasperated. "We can't have ShadowClan cats running wherever they please! That's crazy, and disorganized and-" Suddenly I paused. _Rainkit _was on WindClan territory.

Alone.

I turned without thinking, and started to run.

"Graypaw! Where are you going?!" I heard Firepaw run after me. "Stop!"

I stopped, irritated and looked to him. "What?"

"Well, Brokenstar asked for some of our territory as well. Bluestar refused of course, because she's not a mouse-brain, but-"

"But what, Firepaw? This is urgent!"

He pushed on, "Bluestar says because we're the only Clan to stand up to ShadowClan, we should be ready for an attack. Which means, nobody should leave the camp alone."

"Firepaw, this doesn't matter now, I'll be fine, I'm-"

"I understand that whatever you're doing is against the Warrior Code, isn't it?" Firepaw said.

I nodded slowly.

"It's okay," Firepaw said. "I won't tell anyone. Just let me go with you. I can't lose you."

"Alright, just, keep up, okay?"

Firepaw nodded.

We headed up the Ravine, and through the trees and undergrowth. I had no idea just what I was going to do with a kit, but I knew that I couldn't just leave him to die. We made it to Fourtrees, and sprinted around it into WindClan territory, screeching to stop when the scent of ShadowClan practically swallowed us. How could I have missed that before? It _reeked _of ShadowClan over here.

"This way," I whispered, and we started creeping through the tall grass. I found my own scent trail, and followed it to where Silverpaw and I had left him just a while ago.

_Were we this far from the border?_

We kept searching, but I still couldn't find where I'd left Rainkit.

"Um, Graypaw, haven't we already passed this bush like five times?" Firepaw asked.

"No, we can't have, I've been following my own trail-" That's when I found the spot. The grass flattened in front of made a Rainkit sized hole, but Rainkit wasn't there.

"He's…"

"Gone?" Firepaw finished for me.

"That's impossible, he can't have ran away. He's too young to even open his eyes!" That's when the ShadowClan reek came back, engulfing us.

I unsheathed my claws.

"Graypaw, no," Firepaw said. "The last thing we need is a battle. ShadowClan's already hostile with us. Don't make it worse."

"But they _took _my son!" I said. "They stole him!"

"We don't know that for sure," Firepaw told me. "Now come on, let's get out of here before someone notices we're gone." Firepaw turned, and a few moments later I had to give up and follow. He was right. I couldn't start a fight with ShadowClan over a kit that I shouldn't be taking care of anyway.

_What will Silverpaw think, though? She's already upset about giving him up, what will she be like if he ends up dead?_

I sighed. I didn't want to think about this anymore.


	8. Chapter 8

**Ohmigosh. **

**Guys, this is the ****_last chapter. _**

**Thank you so much for reading, and enjoy!**

****Kits****

****Part 1****

**_Graypaw_**

**I rolled my eyes. "Could you stop that? Please?" **

**Firepaw continued to roll on the ground and laugh like a mouse-brain."Sorry. It's-just-so-funny." **

** "****Uh-huh. ****_So _****amusing."**

** "****But- you missed- that- squirrel- by about a- mile!" Firepaw said, finally stopping to take a breath. **

** "****So? You haven't even ****_caught _****a squirrel, and you've been here for almost a moon!" **

**Firepaw stood up. "That's different. I prefer to go after mice." **

** "****Yeah, because that's the only thing you can catch," I retorted. **

**A flash of hurt crossed his eyes, and he didn't reply.**

** "****Firepaw," I said, "you know I was joking. That's all I ever 're a great hunter. It takes practice, though. For everyone. For some, like Sandpaw, though it takes a ****_lot _****of practice." **

**Firepaw's whiskers twitched in amusement. "Yeah, maybe so."**

** "****So, what now?" Ever since Rainkit had been born, I'd been trying to keep busy. If I ever slowed down, I often started thinking about him and Silverpaw. I couldn't do that without hurting inside. Silverpaw and I had been meeting less and less lately, mostly because seeing each other made us think about Rainkit. I'd never had the heart to tell her that ShadowClan might have kitnapped him, or even killed him. I couldn't imagine the look on her face.I didn't want to put her through any more than she needed to go , I missed that kit. Even though I'd only seen him for a few minutes, he was still my son. I wished I could've actually gotten to be his father. **

**_Stop that, Graypaw, you can't be a father. You're only an apprentice. _**

**_An apprentice that's ten moons old, _****I reminded myself. ****_About two more, and I'll be a Warrior. _****If ****_I can concentrate on my training. _**

** "****I was thinking we should head back to camp," Firepaw said. "Bluestar told me not to take too long, since as apprentices we really shouldn't be hunting alone. Not to mention, I've got Yellowfang duties…" **

** "****Uh, okay," I didn't really want to go back to camp. Camp meant rest, and rest meant more time to think about what I didn't want to think about.**

** "****I mean, as long as that's okay with you," Firepaw said. **

** "****Yeah, it's fine," I assured him, then wrinkled my nose. "Wouldn't want you to miss out on your Yellowfang duties…"**

** "****Are you sure? Graypaw, is everything okay?"he asked. **

** "****Yes," I said, gathering the prey I had caught. "Camp is a good idea. I'm exhausted." **

** "****It's a shame we only get to hunt for a little by ourselves," Firepaw said as we headed towards camp. "But then again, time alone is better than time with Tigerclaw."**

**I shuddered. "He's so mean. And especially to Ravenpaw. But hey, it's not like you have to worry about that anymore, what with ****_Bluestar _****as your mentor."**

** "****Well, I've still got to deal with Tigerclaw breathing down my back, "Kittypet, why can't you claw like the other apprentices? That perfect attack was hardly as perfect as ****_Dustpaw's," _****Firepaw said in a mocking voice. **

**I laughed. "And for hardly any reason, too," I added. "What's his excuse?"**

**Firepaw shrugged. "It's a shame that Ravenpaw can't be proud he's the apprentice of the deputy; he's too busy being scared of him." **

** "****How did Tigerclaw even end up as deputy? I'd think Bluestar would choose Bluetail. He's a great Warrior," I said.**

** "****Yeah, but she doesn't want to show favoritism," Firepaw told me. "Besides, you've seen what's happened lately; every cat that becomes the deputy ****_dies."_**

**I cringed, remembering Lionheart, and how he'd died in the recent battle. **

**Firepaw stopped. "Oh, I'm sorry, Graypaw, I-"**

** "****No, it's okay," I said. "Let's keep going." **

**When we entered the camp and deposited our prey into the fresh-kill pile, Blackkit came rushing towards us.**

** "****Guys! Guys! Guess what!" his eyes were bright.**

** "****What is it, Blackkit?" Firepaw asked. **

** "****I've got a plan to rescue my littermates!" **

** "****What is it?" Firepaw was instantly intrigued. **

** "****Well, um," suddenly Blackkit seemed shy. "I…"**

** "****Blackkit, now is not the time to be shy," Firepaw said. "What is your plan?"**

**Blackkit looked back and forth between us quickly. "Uh, nevermind," he said, and dashed away.**

** "****Why that little-" Firepaw charged after him.**

** "****Firepaw!" I called, but he wasn't listening. I watched as Firepaw chased him around camp, causing a ruckus and disturbing what everyone else was doing. Blackkit skipped around the Elders who were sunbathing in the evening light. Firepaw wasn't quite as graceful and ended up tripping over them. **

** "****Sorry!" Firepaw called, scrambling back to his paws and continuing the chase. Blackkit scampered around Highrock, his eyes wide. He scrambled through the crowd of cats, stopping only when he had reached safety in between Bluetail's paws. He turned to face an angry Firepaw, whose anger melted as soon as he saw who Blackkit was hiding under. I crept a little closer to see what was happening. **

** "****Blackkit?" Bluetail asked, looking down at his son. "What's this?" **

** "****Firepaw's been chasing me," Blackkit explained, giving his best innocently-sad face. **

** "****Why?" Bluetail looked up at Firepaw.**

** "****He said he has a plan to rescue Snowkit," Firepaw said boldly. "And then he ran. So I chased."**

**Bluetail looked questionably down at Blackkit. "A plan? Blackkit, I've told you this-"**

** "****Earthpaw taking care of them ****_isn't _****saving them," Blackkit said. "My plan ****_is." _**

** "****Then what's the plan?" Firepaw demanded. "Why won't you tell me?" **

**Bluetail kept looking down at Blackkit. "You're right. Blackkit, c'mon." Bluetail turned.**

** "****Where are we going?" Blackkit asked. **

** "****You're going to tell me your plan." **

**The two left camp, completely ignoring the fact that Firepaw was still standing turned to me. I nodded. **

**I ran to him, and we followed Blackkit and Bluetail out of camp. It was easy to follow them, since Blackkit wasn't exactly the best and navigating his way through undergrowth. The two ended up stopping hear Tall Pines. Firepaw and I stayed a ways back, watching and listening, and trying our best to stay out of sight. **

** "****What's your plan?" Bluetail asked. **

**Blackkit looked around suspiciously. "I can use you-know-what. And so can they." **

**I exchanged a puzzled looked with Firepaw. You-know-what? **

**Bluetail looked slightly disappointed. "Blackkit, you know how I said using that would be dangerous around other cats?"**

**Blackkit nodded. **

** "****Well, using it around Twolegs would be even worse."**

** "****But who's to say the Twolegs will see them?" We can go in the middle of the night, just me and you, and get them out. It's perfect." **

** "****I don't know, Blackkit. It's dangerous."  
><strong>** "****What if Earthpaw was helping?" **

** "****Still-"**

** "****Dad! Please! I know I can do this!" **

** "****How, Blackkit? What are you going to do? Make it rain, and then the doors will open?"**

** "****No…," Blackkit said, suddenly turning slightly embarrassed. "More like strike the nest with lightning... and then singe it to pieces." **

**_What? _****I mouthed to Firepaw. This kit was crazy. **

**_He thinks he can make it rain and shoot lightning? _****I gave a small sigh. Glancing over, I could see Firepaw looked just as disappointed as Bluetail. **

** "****Let's go," Firepaw whispered. "This has to be some kind of joke. They must know that we followed them. If we leave, then at least Blackkit can tell Bluetail the ****_real _****plan. At least then Snowkit will be safe." **

**I nodded solemnly, and we turned quietly and headed back to camp. **

**...**** … … … …**

**_Blackkit_**

** "****Blackkit, I can't let you do this."**

** "****But-"**

** "****_No, _****Blackkit. It's too risky. Besides, do you even know how to shoot lightning?" Bluetail asked. **

** "****I-I…"**

** "****See?"**

** "****But I know I can do it!" **

** "****Blackkit, I'm not going to argue any more. Now let's go back to camp." He glanced at the sky. "It' looks like it's going to rain."**

**_Any why do you think _****that ****_might be? _**

**Bluetail led the way back to camp. I followed grudgingly. I couldn't believe him! It was like he didn't care if they came back or not. I stomped after him, and soon it started to thunder.I felt a slight twinge of dark pleasure. That was what I wanted.I wanted the darkest, most powerful storm ever. Who could say I couldn't control my powers then? **

**It started to rain. Bluetail quickened his pace, but I let him go ahead of me. I was in no rush to get back to camp. I willed it to rain harder. Let Bluetail get ****_me _****get soaked. ****_I _****didn't care. He deserved it. How could he say I had no control? I had ****_complete _****control! Look at me now; creating this brilliant storm. **

**The sky darkened even further, and there was more thunder. The rain came down even harder. The wind rattled the trees and leaves started to fly everywhere. Suddenly, Bluetail stopped and turned to me. **

**"****Blackkit," he said sternly. "What are you doing?"**

**I looked up at him, as innocently as possible. "What do you mean?" **

**Bluetail sighed. "You know what I mean." **

**"****Sorry! I can't hear you through the wind!" I called out to him.**

**"****Then make it stop!"Bluetail yelled back. "Blackkit! Stop! Make it stop! ****_Now!"_**

**"****No! You need to see that I'm strong enough to do this! Look at this!" I said, looking around at the storm. "You think this isn't enough to save them?" **

**Bluetail didn't reply. **

**"****Answer me!" I screamed. "You ****_know _****I can save them!" **

**Bluetail continued to study the storm around him. His eyes widened. **

**He was afraid. **

**But was he afraid...of ****_me?_**

**That shocked me so much that I stumbled back a little. My own father was...scared of me. **

**The rain thinned to a small drizzle, and the clouds slowly cleared, until the sun shone through again. Once the wind died down, I realized that I was panting and exhausted. **

**"****You're...scared of me," I said, looking to the ground. **

**"****Blackkit, I'm not scared of you," Bluetail said slowly. **

**I looked up.**

**"****I'm scared of what you could do, if you have no control. You saw what just happened; you got upset and then couldn't help but make a huge storm. I can't let you try and rescue them if you can't control it. What if you hurt them? What if you hurt yourself?"**

**"****Then at least they'll be out of there, and safe. Bluetail, it's ****_not _****fair to just ****_leave _****them there!" **

**Bluetail sighed. "I know. Look, you can train and practice, by yourself. When you gain more control, you can try and save them." **

**"****Really?" The clouds above cleared away, leaving a bright sun to shine down through the trees.**

**Bluetail nodded. "Of course. I want them back just as much as you do." **

**"****Okay, so when should we meet tonight?"**

**"****Whoa, slow down,I didn't say we'd start tonight. Give me a while to figure this out."**

**I sighed. "Nevermind. You were right before; it's too risky. If not around the Twolegs, then definitely around the other cats. Besides, the only safe time would be at night, and I'm not even supposed to leave camp until I'm an apprentice! That's breaking the rules."**

**"****Hold on,"Bluetail said, a strange twinkle in his eyes."I only said I had a problem with other cats seeing you. I never said the problem was with breaking the rules…" **

**Kits **

**Part 2**

_Rainkit_

It was dark.

Everything was swirling around a moment, I heard the sound of rushing water, but then it was replaced with the howling of the wind. I could smell heather, and could feel the cool air around me. Everything seemed wide and vast, like this place went on forever and ever.

I heard the water again, and then the wind. Shapes started to swirl in the darkness, and I could almost make out a face. Suddenly, thunder clapped, and there was a flash of lightning. It started to rain. I could see a gray cat…TI felt the water drench my pelt. Then it flashed again, and there was a beautiful silvery she-cat…

"Rainkit?"

I jerked awake with a start. "Huh?" I sat up, blinking.

"You're in the puddles again" Morningflower drug me out of the puddle, and back to where it was drier. She started to groom my fur to dry it off. "You poor thing," she murmured.

"Mom, I don't see what the big deal is. It's just water,"I said.

"Rainkit, you'll get sick. It's not right for a cat to be wet all of the time."

"Then why are we here?" I asked. 'In these nasty tunnels? I thought we were WindClan. I thought we belonged out in the open air, where you can run and run."

Morningflower didn't answer, only looked out of the tunnel where the sun was now rising.

"Because," I turned and saw Onewhisker standing there, "of Brokenstar."

"Who?"

"ShadowClan's leader," he said. "He and his so-called Warriors ran us out of our own territory."

"What? But...why couldn't we stop him?"

Onewhisker sighed. " A Warrior isn't supposed to kill unless necessary, Rainkit. Brokenstar seems to have forgotten that. We had no choice but to leave."

"Oh," I said.

Onewhisker gave me a solemn smile. "Don't worry though, Rainkit. Your clan is as strong as ever. He turned away and filed through the other members of the clan. The place was cramped, and smelled.

And not of flowers.

I wrinkled my nose as I watched him walk away. Strong? Everyone here was soaked with disgusting sewer water and looked completely exhausted. They didn't look strong at all.

I turned and looked back at Morningflower. She was still sitting on the edge of the tunnel, looking at the sky. I was scared for her. She was close to kitting, and it was so...depressing here. What if her kits didn't make it?

Suddenly, someone behind me pushed me and I fell in another puddle. My attacker pinned me from behind,shoving my face into the water. Behind me, I could sense a tail-tip flicking with amusement.

"Moonkit,' I groaned, "why are you _always _sneaking up on me?"

Moonkit shifted her weight off of me and moved to face me. Her green eyes were shining with playfulness. "Because you make it so easy," she giggled.

I stood up, spitting water out of my mouth. "Did you _have _to push me in the water, though?"

She gave me an innocent look. "You've never complained about the water before." She held that pose while I glared at her. Finally, she seemed to break down. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. It's just, you're my best friend, Rainkit, and honestly I didn't think you'd be so upset about it."

"It's okay," I said. "As long as you can do one thing to make it up to me."

Moonkit's ears perked up. "What's that?"

"This," I said, standing and grinning deviously. Before she could move, I ran my paw smoothly through the puddle and sent a high arc of water down on Moonkit. I turned and sprinted away as I heard her shriek.

"Rainkit!" I could hear her following me. I shifted through the crowded tunnel, looking for a place to hide. Sometimes I had to slide under lifted paws and jump over a lowered tail. As hard as it was, I heard Moonkit's attempts to chase me fade away. I'd lost her in the bustle of the rest of the Clan.

Satisfied, I sat and tried to start licking some of the water off of my pelt. Usually my pelt dried off a lot faster than everyone else's, but right now a cool wind was blowing through the tunnels, making me shiver.

"Let-me-through!" I turned and heard a sharp shriek as Moonkit pushed her way through the crowd of cats. She stumbled a few steps, but then straightened. Suddenly her eyes met mine, and they closed into slits.

"I've-" she ran towards me, "got-you-" Moonkit leapt into the air. Suddenly, there was a loud roar overhead. Everyone in the tunnels shrank down. With a sharp shriek, Moonkit fell to the ground, missing me by about a tail length.

"Rainkit!" She squealed, cowering into me. The roaring was gone as fast as it had come.

"It's okay," I said. "The monster's gone now."

Moonkit was shaking. "There'll be another one, though. There always is. _Oh, _I hate it here!"

"I know," I said. "Me too. We should go home. Where we belong."

"Yeah," Moonkit agreed. "I mean, we've never even gotten to see it."

I nodded. "What do you think it's like?"

"Well, my mother's told me about it. She says there's a big, open sky, and there's land to run and run forever. She told me the ground is so high up, that's it's the closest Clan to StarClan."

"It sounds great," I said. "We just have to convince some of these Warriors to fight for what's ours."

"Rainkit," Moonkit chided softly. "We've tried that. But you've seen everyone. Their tired. My mother says there's no prey here. We're all...just dying...slowly."

"Which is all the more reason to leave," I told her.

"That's a good point," she said. "But I think we need help. We can't do this by ourselves. Our Clan is too weak now."

"You're right," I said. I looked around, and noticed that we'd run from one end of the tunnel to the other. I looked out the opening, much like Morningflower was on the other end. "Moonkit, we need a hero."

Kits

Part 3

_Blackkit_

I groaned, gritting my teeth, and pushed harder. I dug my claws into the ground and concentrated on the sky. The clouds were moving, but very slowly. I couldn't believe how hard this was. I thought I'd had at least _some _control over my powers. I'd told Bluetail I could do this, but obviously all I was doing was proving him right.

"Blackkit," Bluetail sighed. "That's enough. Besides, I think a patrol's coming."

I ignored him. I needed to do this. If I never gained control, how could I save my brothers and sisters? Bluetail would never even let me try unless I gained control.

I continued to push hard. The clouds above me darkened.

I felt a twinge of pleasure. _Yes! Now, please, just rain. _

The clouds shifted and rolled around each other, and even darkened a little more, but no rain fell.

I grumbled. How hard could this be? I was _supposed _ to be able to do this.

"Blackkit," Bluetail said again. "Stop! You've been practicing all morning. You can take a break."  
>"Are the <em>Twolegs <em>going to take a break?" I demanded. When Bluetail didn't reply, I turned away and urged the storm even harder.

I was in control.

But that's when something slipped inside me, and I lost my grip on the power. I stopped holding my breath, and the clouds in the sky disappeared. I collapsed on the ground, panting. I felt light-headed, and exhausted. I would've stormed away, but I was too tired to be angry. Besides, my vision kept blacking out in places.

"Blackkit, you pushed too hard," Bluetail said gently. "Again."

"I know," I said, after I'd caught my breath. I stood slowly and turned to him. "Why can't I do it?"

"Because you're a kit, and only just found your powers a few moons ago," Bluetail said. "You just need to practice more."

I sighed. "You tell me that practically every day."

"Because it's true," Bluetail said. "You just need to practice."

"Well who made you the expert on powers?" I demanded.

"Shh!" Bluetail said, looking around nervously. "Someone might hear you. And I've told you; your mother told me all she knew. I watched her train Earthpaw with his powers, , can we go back to camp? I'm starving."

"Fine," I agreed grudgingly. "But eating won't rescue them."

"Well, maybe not," Bluetail said, as we headed back towards camp, "but you won't be able to do anything when you're tired and hungry. Why don't you get something to eat, and then come and find me? I've got something I want to tell you. Afterwards, you could take a nap in the Nursery if you like; there won't be any annoying apprentices to bug you there."

"Dad, no! I'm hardly a kit anymore, and I've already got my own nest with the apprentices. I _don't _need to sleep in the Nursery," I said, quickening my pace and entering the camp.

I heard Bluetail sigh behind me. "I know."

After I entered the camp, I headed to the fresh-kill pile and found a mouse. After settling down, I saw Firepaw and Graypaw enter the camp, with Tigerclaw hot on their heels. Firepaw met eyes with me, and for a moment I saw suspicion.

I rolled my eyes. Was he _still _suspicious about my plan?

But the suspicious look didn't last, and soon Firepaw was racing towards me.

"Blackkit! You'll _never _believe what happened!" he said, looking breathless.

"What?" I asked.

As an answer, I saw Whitestorm enter camp. He was followed by Sandpaw, and….

_Tiny? _

I looked at Firepaw in awe. "How…?"

Firepaw was grinning broadly. "I have absolutely _no _idea. Must be destiny."

"Or fate," Sandpaw said dryly, as she walked by. "I can't believe I'll have to deal with _two _of them now."

Firepaw scowled as she walked by. "You'd be lucky to be friends with _one _of us," he muttered.

Whitestorm led Tiny over to where Firepaw and I were. I stood up to greet him.

"Tiny!" I said, scampering up to him. "Whoa, you're not so...tiny anymore, are you?"

Tiny shook his head. "Not really. I mean, look, I'm taller than Rusty now!"

I saw Firepaw cringe a little at hearing his old name, but he smiled through it. "Yeah,you're also a lot _wider _than me."

Graypaw wandered over. "Um, Tiny, his name is _Firepaw, _now."

Tiny looked slightly confused. "Oh, yeah, you told me that out in the forest. But…" he leaned in and whispered, "Is your paw really on _fire?" _

Firepaw grinned. "Nope." He held up a paw. "Same as always. No flames here."

I found myself thinking of Brokenpaw, and his fire powers. I missed him a lot. Without him, there was no one to goof off with. The only other kits around here were Brackenkit and Cinderkit, and they were too young to play. Besides, having my brother here would be a lot better than just having a friend.

"Well, we should take you to Bluestar," Firepaw said, looking up at Whitestorm, who nodded.

"Ru-er-_Firepaw," _Tiny said, correcting himself just in time, "it's not even night time. How are we going to see the stars, let alone a _blue _star?"

Firepaw laughed. " 'Star,' is just the ending of a leader's name. Bluestar's the clan leader, and she'll probably want to meet you. Maybe she'll let you join the clan!"

Tiny grinned. "That would be amazing. Especially since my Housefolk have left."

"Left?" I asked. "What do you mean?"

Tiny shrugged. "I mean they were here one day, and gone the next. It's okay, though, I didn't need them all that much. They just wanted me to catch any mice that found their way into the nest."

"Well, let's get you to Bluestar," Whitestorm said. "Firepaw, care to join us?"

"Of course!" Firepaw said. The three toms headed towards Bluestar's den.

"Hmph." I looked and saw Graypaw sitting there, sulking.

"What?" I asked.

"First, he's my best friend. Then, he meets you again and won't shut up about your _precious _sister. Then he meets his brother. Guess who's out of the picture now?"

"Graypaw, Firepaw's not going to forget about you. Besides, you're one of the only cats that were nice to him when he first came here. He's not going to abandon you."

Graypaw huffed again. He didn't believe me. But I'd tried my best. What else could I say?

"Well, I've got to go and find Bluetail. See you around Graypaw." He didn't reply as I walked away, but I brushed it off. I found Bluetail lounging outside the Warrior's den, talking to Willowpelt, probably about me and Graypaw. Bluetail looked up as I walked nearer.

"Oh, Blackkit, there you are. Ready?" he stood.

"Where are you going?" Willowpelt asked.

"Just out for a walk. I've cleared it with Bluestar; besides, we're not going far from camp," Bluetail replied. "Why?"

"Tigerclaw's asked us and Mousefur to go on a hunting patrol."

Bluetail gritted his teeth. "Can't you ask someone else to go? I've got to speak to Blackkit."

"Bluetail, you know how cold it is out there. The could be more snow will be coming soon, and the clan needs food," WIllowpelt said. "Besides, you've been out with Blackkit all morning. Can't this wait?"

"Um," Bluetail said, dragging the word out. His eyes flashed to mine. "Nope." He dashed away, and I followed him before Willowpelt could protest.

Bluetail didn't stop until we were far away from camp.

"We're staying close to camp, huh?" I asked mockingly.

Bluetail shrugged. "I never liked the rule that kits had to stay in camp. I mean, I'm with you, right? What's going to happen? Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I think we should stop training-"  
>"What?"<p>

"No, not in that way," Bluetail said. "I just think we should take this in a different way. The whole 'control,' thing was mouse-brained. I'm sorry, Blackkit. I think we need to come up with an actual plan."

"Oh," I said. "So...any ideas?"

Bluetail nodded. "You are going to create the biggest storm you can."

"What?" I asked again. "Dad, I can barely make a small storm."

"That's because you've been trying to _control _it. For this storm, you can just let go, just like you did when you were mad at me."

"Are...are you sure?" This didn't make any sense. This...this was _Bluetail _telling me to do exactly what a few days ago he'd forbidden me to do.

Bluetail nodded slowly. "Yes, Blackkit. They need to come back. I can't let them be trapped there, and I don't know why I ever thought it was okay for them to be there. _Please, _Blackkit. Do it for them."

I nodded. "Okay. I'll do it."

After that, Bluetail explained to me the details. I was to create the biggest storm I could. This storm was only supposed to target Twolegplace, and if harm at all, only harm there. I was to do my best to avoid hurting any of of the clans. Bluetail also explained that I might not need to actually hurt anything. He told me that if the storm _looked _bad enough, the Twolegs would abandon their homes and hopefully leave my siblings there. When the Twolegs were gone, that would be the perfect time to jump in and rescue them. Once there, Bluetail believed he'd be able to coach one of my siblings to use their powers to break a hole in the nest, or at least make some sort of escape route. This rescue mission was not to be told to anyone else, because it involved our powers.

While Bluetail was rescuing them, I was to stay in camp and keep the storm brewing. If it just disappeared, the clan would get suspicious. Especially since I had to concentrate so hard on it. They'd notice something was up. I suggested just staying hidden outside of camp all day, but Bluetail said other cats would wonder where I was. I'd need to stay inside camp the _whole _time. I couldn't look suspicious even for a second, or I could be caught. I still didn't completely understand why it was so bad for the clan to know about my powers, but I still went along with it. If Bluetail said it was bad, then I would believe him.

"So," I said, "when do we start with this plan?"

"Tomorrow," Bluetail said, his blue eyes shining.

... … … …

"Hi, Blackkit!" I looked down and saw Cinderkit smiling up at me. I was sitting just outside the Nursery, where the least amount of traffic went through. Besides, no one would question a kit near the Nursery. I'd started the storm this morning at dawn, and by now there was a good amount of dark clouds surrounding the area. Soon, I'd be able to get the winds going and then the rain would fall. Hopefully it'd be enough to scare the Twolegs away.

I did my best to smile at Cinderkit. "Hi."

"What are you doing?"

My stomach dropped. Was my cover blown?

_Hold on, hold on. _

"What...what do you mean? I can sit here by Nursery if I want, right? I _am _a kit." It was kind of hard to talk, what with trying not to let go of the storm and all.

Cinderkit seemed to be thinking. "Well, I guess."

"You _guess? _What if I'm just a little tired?"

Cinderkit giggled. "You're _never _tired."

"Okay...then what if I just wanted to visit you and your brother?"

She looked thoughtful again. "You've never wanted to see us before, though."

I sighed, then drew in a sharp breath. Sighing had almost made me drop the storm. _Careful…_

"Well, then...what if I just want to sit here, because...because…"

"Because you can watch Sandpaw?"

"Yeah, sure," I said, without thinking. "Wait, what did you say?"

Cinderkit giggled, and I noticed Sandpaw walking by, looking disgusted.

"Sandpaw, wait-oh…nevermind. Thanks, Cinderkit."

She smiled, oblivious to the sarcasm."You're welcome."

… … … …

_Icekit_

"What's wrong with them?" Brokenkit asked.

I listened closer, but I still couldn't come close to understanding the Twolegs. All I could see was one of them waving their arms,panicking, and the other pointing at us and then shaking their head.

Snowkit sat next to us, yawning. "Maybe...they're just tired."

"Or maybe that's you," I said, flicking her on the shoulder with my tail-tip. "Snowkit, you've got to stay awake. This could be important."

"Maybe it's the storm," Brokenkit suggested. He had turned around and was looking out the clear square in the wall. I turned and saw that there were dark clouds forming outside.

"Wait...is it...snowing?" I asked.

Brokenkit stepped closer, and shook his head. "Nope. Just rain."

"But...it's Leaf-Bare. Shouldn't it be snowing?" I asked.

"Maybe," Snowkit answered. "But maybe it's not cold enough out ?"

"It just seems like…"

"What?" Brokenkit asked.

"What if...what if it's _Blackkit _making the storm?"

"What makes you think that?" Snowkit asked.

"I don't know...but this storm, it just came out of nowhere. What if it's him? What if they found a way to rescue us?" I asked.

Snowkit shrugged. "It's the most hope of rescue we've had this whole time."

Brokenkit nodded. "Let's go with it. There's no harm in waiting and seeing, right?"

I nodded.

There was a loud yell from behind us. We all whipped around, and saw the Twolegs were arguing again. One of them yelled again, and looked like she was crying. The other pointed out the window, probably indicating the storm. It _did _look pretty bad out , the first Twoleg turned and left the room, slamming the door behind her. The other threw his hands up and followed her.

We heard a rumbling sound, and then the sound of a Monster. Then it was quiet.

We were alone.

_Blackkit, save us!_

… … … …

_Earthpaw _

"Snow, I _can't _do this!" I protested for what felt like the thousandth time.

"Earthpaw, you _must!" _Snow said.

"But _why?" _

Snow closed her eyes. "Because-"

"It's my destiny," I finished for her mockingly. "I know. But what difference would it make if I went to ThunderClan?"

"More than you know," Snow replied.

"Uh-huh," I said, pacing back and forth in front of my guide. "Snow, I'm tired of this. I just want to stay with my family."

"Earthpaw," Snow said gently, "why are you so against going to ShadowClan?"

"Because," I snapped,"They're evil."

"Those are the stories you've grown up with from a _ThunderClan _Warrior. Of course he's going to tell you they're evil."

"But my family is in ThunderClan. And besides, I've heard of Brokenstar. He's terrible! He makes _kits _into apprentices. Snow, he makes kits into _Warriors. _Not to mention...they live in a swamp. A sickly, sticky, disgusting _swamp."_

"Your views of this clan tell me that going there is exactly what you need. Earthpaw, go to ShadowClan. I promise everything will be okay. Sure, the clan is corrupted. But just think what _you _could do to help them."

I sighed. She _was _right. And putting a stop to Brokenstar would leave the forest better off.

I looked up at Snow. She was right. But could I leave my family?

I guess I didn't really have a choice.

"Okay," I said. "I'll do it."

.. … … …

_Blackkit_

"Thanks for letting me sit in here, Spottedleaf. I just needed to get away from the rest of the clan for a bit."

"Don't mention it," she said, slipping into the crevice where she kept the herbs. "It's not as if you're a nuisance. You're a good kit, Blackkit."

"Thanks," I said.

"Spotted_leaf!" _I heard a howl from outside, and Firepaw rushed in. "Spottedleaf, I stepped on a thorn. Can you get it out?"

"Of course," Spottedleaf said, coming to look at his paw. "Just hold still."

Spottedleaf gripped the thorn with her teeth, and pulled. Firepaw grunted a little, and then the thorn was out.

"Thanks, Spottedleaf," Firepaw said, his eyes bright.

"No problem," Spottedleaf grabbed a leaf and rubbed it on his paw.

Firepaw pulled his paw away. "That stings!"

"You can't be getting an infection, though." She kept rubbing the leaf on his paw for a few more moments. "Okay, you can go."

"Thanks," Firepaw said again.

"Firepaw?" Graypaw came rushing into the Medicine Den. He met eyes with me. "What are you doing here?"

"Um-"

"Yeah," Firepaw said, instantly looking suspicious. They both stepped closer.

"Nothing," I said, a little too quickly.

"Uh-huh," Firepaw said.

"No, really, I just wanted some peace and quiet for a bit," I told them. I was so nervous, it was hard to keep the storm going. I needed to get rid of them.

"Peace and quiet? Since when do you want peace and quiet? You never stop running and yelling." Graypaw didn't look as suspicious as Firepaw, just curious.

"Headache," I explained quickly. "Now please go."

"Go?" Firepaw asked. "Why? Doesn't Spottedleaf have some herbs to help with your head? A headache isn't bad enough for you to have to sleep here. Why aren't you in your nest in the apprentices den?"

"Just leave me alone, okay?" I turned away.

"I know you're up to something, Blackkit!" Firepaw said, raising his voice.

"Go away!" I yelled. Outside, lightning flashed. Firepaw's eyes widened, and he backed away. "You heard me! Get out!" There was another flash outside. Firepaw and Graypaw turned tail and ran.

I sat down, licking my paw. Maybe showing my powers wasn't too bad after all.

… … … …

_Brokenkit_

"Earthpaw?" I raced over to him, not believing what I was seeing. "You're okay! You're okay!" I practically sobbed into his fur.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Earthpaw replied. "No more headaches."

"What cured you?" Icekit asked as she and Snowkit rushed over.

Earthpaw hesitated for a moment. "Well, my guide, Snow...we had a talk, and when I woke up, I was better."

"Your guide," Icekit said, in awe.

"Why don't we have our guides yet,Earthpaw?" Snowkit asked.

He shrugged. "It's just not time for you yet."

"Blackkit has his guide," I pointed out.

"Everyone's different," Earthpaw said. "You'll get yours when the time is right."

I tilted my was Earthpaw, my wise older brother, and yet...he didn't sound like himself.

"Is everything okay?" I asked him.

Earthpaw's gaze snapped over to me. "Fine."

There was an eerie silence, where Earthpaw just kept looking at me. I knew everything was not fine.

"Earthpaw," Icekit said, breaking the silence. "We've found a way out! Blackkit's going to save us!"

"Blackkit?" Earthpaw looked surprised.

"Yeah, look outside," Snowkit said brightly.

"What-" Earthpaw froze when he saw the looked back at us in awe. "_Blackkit _made _that _storm?"

We all nodded. "At least we think so," I said.

"I hope so," Earthpaw added. He looked around. "Where are the Twolegs?"

"Gone," Icekit told him. "All we have to do is wait for Bluetail."

"No we don't," Earthpaw said. "Now that the Twolegs are gone, guess what we can use?"

"That's right!" Snowkit said. "But...Earthpaw,we've had no practice for a really long time. What can we do with our powers?"

Earthpaw looked to me. "Well, I don't think all of us can use our powers, but there is someone who might prove to be useful." His eyes were twinkling. I could see the old Earthpaw coming back, even if it was just for a moment.

"Me?" I asked. "What can I do?"

"Nothing _too _amazing," Earthpaw said sarcastically. "You know, you're only able to _burn everything down around you."_

"Oh yeah," I said. "Forgot about that." Earthpaw flicked me on the shoulder with his tail-tip.

"So, what do I do?" I asked.

"Let's go over there, to the door." Our group moved over to the door that led outside. Earthpaw examined it. "Okay, Brokenkit, hold your paw up."

I did as he said, and held my paw up in front of the door.

"Now, burn it down."

"What? I can't just _burn it down," _I said, dropping my paw back to the floor."I don't know how!"

"And you never will, if you don't try. Brokenkit, if Blackkit really is creating the storm, and scaring the Twolegs away, how long do you think he'll last? When the storm is gone, the Twolegs will be back. We need to get out of here. _Now."_

"I-" I looked at Earthpaw, and then over to my sisters. They were all counting on me to do this. I looked back at the door. "Okay."

I raised my paw again. "Can you help me, Earthpaw?"

He looked sad for a minute, but then nodded. "Mom taught me everything she knew about the different types of powers. I think I can coach you through this.

"First, you need to warm your paw up. Don't actually shoot flames yet. Just concentrate on the heat inside your paw, and expand it," Earthpaw instructed.

I took a deep breath, and did what he said. It felt like it was working. My paw was getting warmer. When I looked back over at it, I realized it was glowing with heat.

"I'm-"

"Shh!" Earthpaw said. "Just relax. Too much excitement from you could kill us all." I thought I saw Snowkit and Icekit take a few steps back.

"Now what?" I asked.

"Keep it going," Earthpaw said. "When it gets hot enough, unsheath your claws. You should be able to cut a hole big enough for us to fit through."

After another minute or so, my paw was so hot is was glowing blue. I unsheathed my claws, and pushed my paw up to the door.

"Go ahead," Earthpaw said.

I clawed my way around in a circle, forming a space big enough for us to fit through. Once I made it all the way around, I moved my paw back and blew on it.

"One escape route, coming right up," I said, grinning over at my siblings.

The circle I'd cut out fell out of the hole and to the floor, smoking a little.

"Brokenkit, you did it!" Snowkit squealed.

"I did!" I said, smiling.

"Never forget about your powers again," Earthpaw said. "Now let's get out of here." He led the way through the hole. I followed, and Snowkit and Icekit were right behind me. We were so close to ThunderClan now.

And so close to home.

Kits

Part 4

_Earthpaw_

I paused, letting the others go ahead of me. I knew Bluetail would be somewhere nearby, just waiting for the right moment for the escape. Little did he know that we'd solved that all on our own.

Brokenkit, Snowkit and Icekit, scampered across the grass, and to the fence. Rain was pelting down hard, but they didn't seem to care. They just pushed straight through. I followed them at a slower pace, beginning to wonder just how I could leave them.

If what Snow had said was true, and I was needed in ShadowClan, then I needed to go. I'd figured that by fixing all the corruption there, I'd actually be protecting them. In the end,that's what really mattered; that they were safe.

Even if I wasn't with them.

We made a break for the fence. I was ready to help them up, but felt a small pang when all three of them climbed up with no problem.

_They're ready to be apprentices._

I was sad I wouldn't get to see their ceremony, or their nests in the apprentice den. Or even be a part of their lives anymore.

_But I _have _to do this. _

"Earthpaw?" Brokenkit was still perched atop the fence. He looked back at me. "Aren't you coming?"

I did my best to smile up at him, "Of course."

After we'd made it over the fence, we paused for a moment. We were already soaked completely, and I was beginning to shiver a little.

"Wow," I said, "Blackkit sure did a good job with this."

Brokenkit nodded, shaking a little. "Yeah. But, which way to ThunderClan?"

"And where's Bluetail?" Icekit hollered through the wind.

"I don't know," I said back. "But...I'll go and look! You guys stay here!"

Oh boy. Yep. I was really just going to get up and leave them here, alone. might never see these guys I couldn't face Bluetail. How could I explain to him that I was betray his clan? It was best that I got out of here before it was too late. Bluetail'd find them eventually.

"Okay!" Snowkit said, her eyes bright.

I felt my heart break. They didn't suspect a thing. I looked at them one last time, my siblings. Icekit, who was so smart. Brokenkit, who was almost a younger me. And Snowkit, who looked just like our mom.

"Earthpaw, aren't you going to go?" Icekit asked.

"Yeah," I said finally. "I am."

I stood and ran. I couldn't bear to look at them any longer.

… … … …

_Snowkit_

"Kits!" I heard a voice from the trees. They were obviously yelling, but the wind and the rain were so loud I could hardly hear them.

Next to me, Icekit pricked her ears. "Is that Bluetail?"

Brokenkit stood and scanned the trees. "Dad?"

"Kits!" I heard the voice again.

"We're here!" I said.

That's when he broke through the trees. Bluetail was panting and looked tired, like he hadn't slept right in weeks. His eyes brightened, and he dashed over to us.

"Kits!" he said again. We swarmed around him, rubbing against his sides affectionately. We'd found him! We were safe!

We could go home.

"Where's Earthpaw?" Bluetail asked, looking around.

"He went to find you," I explained through the wind.

Bluetail looked at me for a long time, like he was thinking something over. Then he seemed to realize something. "Oh," he said. "Well, let's get you guys home."

"But what about Earthpaw?" Icekit asked.

"I...he'll find camp. He knows how to find us," Bluetail said, turning away. "Now, let's go. Blackkit will be so glad to see that you're back, you can all have your apprentice ceremonies!"

_That's right! Blackkit's there!And ...our apprentice ceremonies._

Icekit and I exchanged an excited glance.

Bluetail led us through the trees. After a while Brokenkit asked, "Can we run?"

Bluetail glanced back at us, a twinkle in his eye. I realized that it was the same twinkle Earthpaw got in his eyes. I couldn't wait for all of us to make it to the clan together. This was what we'd been waiting for, for as long as I could remember.

Bluetail gave us a small nod, his eyes still twinkling, and we took off running together.

_Yes!_I thought, _let's go home! _

**The End **

**Keep your eyes out for Book 2! :D**


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